Sweet Disposition
by Courtz0816
Summary: Bella was the weird rocker chick, Edward was the captain of the basketball team. They meet again 9 years later. Can they forget who they used to be and make it work or will the past drive them apart? AH, Rated M for language and lemons, ExB.
1. Chapter 1

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AN: So… I have started another story. I couldn't get this out of my head and it was killing my flow with my other sto

**ry so I decided to get it out and put it on paper so to speak.**

**So that means that I will have two stories at the one time but don't worry Jess my beta extraordinaire has issued the following threat "update both stories as regularly as possible and don't abandon either, OR I WILL KILL YOU...or I just won't give you any cookies"**

**Ok so this story is going to be a fairly short one, maybe 8 chapters or so. It will all be from Edward's point of view…well at this stage anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight.**

**So here it is.**

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**Ch 1 – ****Sweet Disposition**

_sweet disposition  
never too soon  
oh reckless abandon  
like no one's  
watching you_

a moment, a love  
a dream, a laugh  
a kiss, a cry  
our rights, our wrongs  
a moment, a love  
a dream, a laugh  
a moment, a love  
a dream, a laugh

chorus  
just stay there  
cause i'll be comin over  
and while our bloods still young  
it's so young  
it runs  
and we won't stop til it's over  
won't stop to surrender

"Guys you will never believe who came into the bar asking for a job today" Emmett says as we took our seats in our usual booth.

"Miranda Kerr?" Jake asks sarcastically.

"Yeah and she told me that her and Orlando are filing for divorce and she wants to be with me."

"You read way too many chick mags Em you know that?" Jake teases.

"Dude, it is my job as a purveyor of fine liquors to be abreast of world issues, it's all part of the service."

"I would hardly call Budweiser fine liquor, and I don't know that the marital status of Victoria's Secrets Angels quantifies as a world issue." I point out.

"What ever man, so don't you what to know who may or may not be my newest bar bitch?" Emmett asks snidely. Jake and I just shrug pretending not to care. 5…4…3…2…1.

"Ahhh you guys suck. Remember that loner chick Isabella Swan." Of course I remember her, her name alone makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Bella Swan. How do I begin to describe Bella Swan? She was that girl in high school that was untouchable and not in a hot captain of the cheerleader kind of way but more the fact that she jut didn't give a fuck about anything or anyone except Jasper

Jasper was her best friend, they were inseparable, and of course the rumours were that they were fucking, but they weren't, at least I don't think so. Not that I would know, Bella and I had a lot of the same classes but she gave me nothing, no more than nothing, she looked at me in complete disgust. Anyway Jasper was one of the super cool guitar guys, long hair, old band tee's and leather jackets. He was really smart too, like borderline genius but he didn't care for it, he was all about the music. It was like he was a generation late, he should have been growing up in the 70's not that 90's.

I was always extremely intrigued by Bella; I thought she was so beautiful, long wavy dark hair, fair porcelain skin, a light sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks. So beautiful, far more beautiful that any of the other bleached blonde tarts that went to our school.

"Hello Edward, earth to Edward!" I am snapped out of my reverie by Emmett shaking my shoulder.

"Sorry, what were you saying about Bella?"

"Bella?" Emmett and Jacob ask in unison.

"Yeah she preferred to be called Bella." I say matter-of-factly.

"Umm, ok whatever, anyway you should see her, she is smoking hot now. I seriously barely remember her at all from high school, but what I do remember of her she was really plain and ordinary."

"Didn't she end up being a lawyer in Chicago or something, what is she doing back in Forks?" Jake asks.

"How do you know she is a lawyer?" I ask, I hadn't heard anything about her since the grad party at Emmett's, it was like she dropped of the face of the planet, she didn't have a Facebook or anything so I couldn't stalk her so to speak.

"Oh well her father Charlie and my father were best friends, so Billy used to tell me about her every now and then but after Charlie died the information stopped obviously."

"As much as I love chatting about Bella Swan, I have to get to work, I'll send over some beers." Emmett announces turning and walking toward the bar.

"Hey Em, did you give her the job?" I shout across the empty room.

"Starts tomorrow!" He yells back.

"I didn't know that Charlie died." I state, hoping to get more information out of Jake about Bella.

"Yeah only about 4 months ago, car crash, drunk driver."

"Wow, that's shithouse. Did you go to the funeral?"

"Nah, couldn't, had something on. Billy went though. Said it was really sad, heaps of people there, I guess being Chief of Police means you get to know a lot of people. Remember that guy Sam, he was a few years older than us, well he has taken over as Chief now."

"So, Bella became a Lawyer then, do you what happened with Jasper, did they like get married like everyone though in high school?"

"Nah, last I heard Jasper was in LA with his band trying to get signed. I don't think they were ever really a couple, Charlie and Billy were always trying to get me to take her out."

"Did you?"

"Nah man, not my type, she was a little too alternative for me. We used to be best friends in elementary school though. Spent every waking moment together."

"Really, I never knew that, what happened?" I can't believe I didn't know any of this, maybe if I did things wouldn't have ended the way they did.

"I don't know we kinda just drifted apart when we started high school, I started playing basketball and became friends with you guys and she didn't want a part of it, she just wanted to fade into oblivion, I guess that's when she met Jasper, and he was more than happy to fade away with her."

"Do you know if she is married or anything?"

"If who is married?" Lauren asked interrupting us. Fucking Lauren. Lauren is one of my sure thing girls. You know when you're lonely and want some company, I call Lauren. I know she thinks there is more going on between us, but what she doesn't know is that she isn't my only go to girl. There's Jessica and Jane and when I am really desperate Tanya.

"Just some chick that we used to know from high school." Jake answers.

"So Eddie, what have you got planned for tonight?" She asked sleazing up to me and placing her hand very high on my thigh.

"Actually Jake and I are just going to have a boys night tonight." As the words fall from my mouth out of the corner of my eye I see Alice and Rose walk in. Fuck fuck fuck. Awesome timing. Alice is my cousin, she moved to Forks after college. She is originally from LA, her father, my uncle, Aro is the president of a major record label and therefore is part of the "A" list, which in turn meant that Alice was too. Aro loves the spotlight; Alice does not, so after college when she wanted to escape that lifestyle she figured where better than Forks Bumfuck-nowhere Washington.

Rose is Emmett's wife, they met in college fell madly in love got married 3 days after they graduated and have been blissfully happy ever since. Well not blissful, more like they fight and yell and scream and then they make up. Their relationship is full of fire but that's what makes it work. Passion or whatever. I guess I have only really felt passion once before but that was a long, long time ago.

"Hi Guys!" Alice shouts, running toward the booth, pushing Lauren aside and sliding in beside me.

"Hey Ally cat, your especially chipper today," Jake says, I have had my suspicions about Alice and Jake for a few months now, I don't think they are a couple or anything but I think they may have fucked as some stage.

"Sorry Karen, it's guys night, tonight." Rose says sitting next to Jake and issuing for Lauren to leave with the flick of her wrist. Rose comes across as a real bitch to those that don't know her or that she doesn't like, but she is without a doubt one of the most wicked chicks I have ever known.

"Eddie, call me." Lauren whispers before taking Rose's cue to leave.

"Eewww she's so desperate, it's disgusting." Alice says sticking her tongue out like the mature 27 year old that she is. "Edward you can do so much better than that, why don't you just get rid of her, and the rest of them for that matter."

"Because it's just easier this way, I don't have to take them out for dinner, I don't have to spend Valentines Days with them, I don't have to buy them birthday presents…"

"And thank god for that, with all the girls you have on the go their birthday presents would cost you a fortune." Rose joked.

"It's really not healthy Edward; you're 27 now, how about you grow up and settle down."

"Where's your ring Alice, or your long term boyfriend for that matter. Jake sleeps around and I don't see you having a go at him."

"Thanks man." Jake whispers across the table.

"Alice doesn't sleep around or have a stable of guys on a rotating roster to her vijayjay. And Jake's girls don't constantly ruin my night." Rose says before getting up and getting another round of beers.

"You know she has a point" Alice says digging her elbow into my side.

"Hey I don't interfere in your extra-circular activities so how about you stay out of mine." I say getting a little annoyed.

"Whatever, don't say I didn't warn you when all of a sudden one or more of them trap you by getting pregnant. Anyway what's news?" That's something I love about Alice, she gets over shit quickly, but at the same time it doesn't mean she won't bring it up again. Family…it's awesome.

"No news, same old same old. My boys are still winning which is good, got a couple that are being looked at for NBA. And that is about it, nothing has changed since I saw you three days ago." I said as Rose returned with a fresh jug.

"What about you Jakey?"

"Not much Al, I have a date tomorrow night with some chick whose car I fixed the other day…"

"Did you do the whole top of the overalls undone and hanging off around your waist, tight white singlet, grease all over your arms and face routine?" Rose asks.

"Yep, it's a winner, gets 'em every time." We all laugh, the sad thing is though that it's true, Jake gets most of his dates that way, whatever works for you I guess. Jake and I are very similar beings; I guess that is why it is so easy for us to live together. However there is one main difference between the two of us and that is that Jake desperately wants to be in love, he wants to have that person to come home to every night, to wake up to. I couldn't think of anything worse. I like my own space, I don't like having to report to anyone and selfishly I don't like having to think about someone else's feelings.

Jake and I met in High School, just like Emmett, the three of us were on the same basketball team, an unstoppable team that didn't drop a game for 3 straight seasons, we were a force to be reckoned with, we had it all. The girls, the scholarship offers, the respect of the entire town, we had everything teenage boys could ask for. But as you get older and things are put into perspective the best thing about that time of our lives is each other.

"So this girl tomorrow night, is she the one?" Alice asks seriously, Alice has this obsession with _the one. _I guess that explains why she never goes on dates, she just sits around waitingfor _the one _to fall out of the sky and sweep her off her feet. I don't believe in there being just one person, I believe in many different people fulfilling many different needs and wants, hence the reason I am in the situation I am in currently.

"Nah doubt it she is blonde." Oh no he didn't, here it comes.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean Jaaaacccob. What the fuck does the fact that she is blonde have to do with anything? Hair colour doesn't make a difference to anyone. People dye their hair you know Jacob, people change their hair all the time. What are you saying that blondes can't be the one? Are you saying that a blonde isn't good enough for you?" Rose spat furiously her voice getting louder and louder.

"Settle the fuck down Rosalie, all I meant by that is that I have always envisioned that my wife would be a brunette, as you know I have dated many a blonde, I have no issue with blondes, in face I think that blondes might actually have more fun."

"Yeah but a blonde is for one night stands a brunette is for marrying." Alice jibbed.

"Yeah well I am the only blonde at this table and I am the only one that is married so you can all go and get fucked." Rose stood and stormed over to the bar. "Don't worry Jake, I see you being with a brunette too." See the thing about Alice is that she has always claimed to have a sixth sense, not like having visions of the future or anything, she just seems to be more in tuned with universe and notices things more than most, that's the way she explains it anyway.

"Who do you see me ending up with Al?" I ask curiously.

"Edward the way you're going I see you ending up with herpes."

"Al that would have to be the funniest thing you have ever said, I'm impressed." I say in between fits of hysterical laughter.

"Who do you see yourself with Alice?" Jake asks a little too keenly, something has to have gone on between them, I can feel it.

"Well unlike you, mine is blonde with bright green eyes and an accent."

"You see you self ending up with Carlisle, Alice that's fucked up you do know that you are related by blood?" I joke.

"Edward that's disgusting, you're sick you know that? Anyway I also have a feeling that I will be meeting him very soon, I can feel a big change coming and not just for me, but for us as a group. Something is coming and it is going to change everything." Alice says leaning and whispering to us, even though the only other people in the room are sitting at the bar.

"You freak me out when you talk like that," Jake says, he never really put a great deal of credence in Alice's _feelings; _I however know better, it runs in our family. My mother also has a sixth sense of sorts, she is what people would call a medium, we however don't make that knowledge known, in fact only the members of our family know. I guess it isn't something that you want publicised when you husband is a congressman; it wouldn't make for great press.

"Are you going to catch up with Bella now that she is back in town?" I ask Jacob trying to change the subject away from Alice's ability and trying to get more information about Bella.

"Dunno, hadn't really thought about it."

"Who's Bella?" Rose asks rejoining the table and shooting Jake a dirty look. Alice might not hold grudges but Rose certainly does. She once stayed shitty at me for 2 weeks because I ate what was _her _left over pizza.

"A girl that we went to school with, apparently Emmett just hired her." Jake answers.

"Interesting." Alice mutters under her breath. We had gotten so used her saying random shit to herself that none of us even acknowledge it anymore.

"So why would or wouldn't you catch up with her? Was she your ex-girlfriend or something?" Rose pried.

"Nah nothing like that, we were best friends in primary school, our dads were best friends but we grew apart in high school, had nothing to do with each other really. I guess there is no reason that I wouldn't catch up with her, I mean that is assuming that she wants to catch up with me."

"Why wouldn't she want to catch up with you?" I ask.

"Spring break senior year, her and her father came to visit us, anyway our dads went fishing and left Bella and I alone. We made out a little bit I mean you leave two seventeen year olds together long enough it's bound to happen, Edward if you will remember that particular spring break I also started going out with Leah, I think Bella assumed that I had been going out with Leah when I had made out with her because I went to speak to her in Bio and she told me to fuck off. Haven't spoken to her since." Jake recalls.

"How did you not tell me that?" I ask dumbfounded.

"Dunno, I guess I was a little embarrassed, I mean she was the weirdo music chick, she wasn't exactly a cheerleader, I didn't want you guys to give me shit."

"You guys are dicks." Rose criticised.

"Yeah and you married one of those dicks Rose." I shot back.

"Yep sure did." She said proudly.

"You're a dirty bitch." Jake laughed and fist bumped her at the same time.

"As lovely as it is as always to chill with you guys, I have to go; I have a game tape to watch. Ladies, I'll see you tomorrow night, Jake, I'll see you at home." I kissed Rose and Alice goodbye and then went to say goodbye to Emmett.

"Em, I'm out, its tape time"

"No worries man, If you're not doing anything at 4 tomorrow, come down here I have something that I want to talk to you about."

"It's not serious is it? I've got time now." I say slightly concerned.

"Nah man not at all, not at all, take it easy, I'll see you tomorrow brother."

As I exit Cheers, yes Emmett actually called his bar Cheers; I couldn't get my mind off Bella. I keep reliving the past over and over in my mind as I walk back to the house. I wonder exactly how much she has changed and why is she back in Forks and bartending?

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**AN: Please review and let me know what you think so far. **

**After seeing Eclipse, as readers of my other stories will know I have a new found love for Jasper, so the Jasper in this story is going to be how I imagine he would be (minus the constant constipated face that he has in the movies). I love me some Jasper, I am actually sadly considering seeing the Last of the Airbenders or whatever it is called just coz Jackson is in it haha. He is the new r-patz…kidding. **

**Ok so thanks to all of you have read this, please bare with me because I have two going my updates will be a little slower, but I promise I will pump them out as soon as humanly possible.**

**Cheers**

**Court**


	2. Ch 2 California Waiting

**AN: So it's official you guys are awesome!**

**Thanks to all of you who embraced this right from the start.**

**Reviewers**

**Bearygirl – what up fellow Aussie?**

**Julie – So I am totally going to read your story! **

**(Julie and Beary – just so you know you guys totes have profile pics from the same photo shoot – it's awesome)**

**Lauren – are you stalking me? You're following me…and I love it. Your review made me laugh my ass off…at work…try explaining that to your work colleagues – awkward.**

**Jess – I heart you.**

**Further mentions to – KitKathy5, lgarza1313, Sasibell, HairInHerEyes, Julesie76, KaitlinM17, TwilightGurl24 – sup – thanks heaps for jumping on this story, hopefully you like it.**

**Ok so in the previous chapter I may or may not have mentioned that I heart Jasper…well that statement has resulted in a full blown obsession with Jackson, like I can't even explain how disturbing of a stalker I am. There is nothing that I can't find out about someone…I should really be putting this talent into good use and be a detective or something. **

**So you all need to youtube the video clip for Ugly Girl by 100 Monkeys and just wait for the starting sequence ****Jackson unleashes this smile…it is ridonkulous! Like knee melting, breath taking, Ima divorce my husband and do all sorts of f***ked up shit to that man, beautiful. Oh that's enough.**

**As mentioned this story was just going to be a little one but I have all sorts of plots and shit running through my head so it may end up being a little longer – we will just have to see what the crew wants to do.**

**As always much love to my Bezizzle (sorry Snoop was on Aussie X-Factor last week and now I think I'm black) Jess – who I am constantly annoying and she is a champ and she just keeps on fixing up my shit.**

**Ok that's it, read my pretties… wow that was creepy.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight or Kings of Leon but there new album is about to come out and I will for shiz own that.**

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**Ch 2**** – California Waiting**

_I'm goin' so fast and I can't slow down  
It's hard to get up when you're spinnin' round  
I'd give you the news but nothin's changed  
I'd sing you a song but they blew it away  
All wrapped up in this stupid ass game_

_Hey  
California waiting_

The boys really busted my balls today, some days they are awesome and other days they are like festering turds, seriously if there is one thing I have noticed about college kids it is that they are bi-polar. I'm a young teacher, not much older than most of them, I should be able to get along well with them, build a rapport, don't get me wrong most days I do, but days like today make me wonder what planet they are from.

I storm into Cheers ready for a double shot of whatever the fuck I see first when I see something that I didn't expect. Sitting in one of the booths across the room is Jasper Hale. Jasper fucking I'm so god damn cool, chicks dig my vibe; I'm all about the music bro, Hale. It's not as if Jasper and I didn't get along, I mean we never fought or anything we more or less just had an aversion to each other, he thought I was a douche bag, I though he was a loser.

I walk around the side of the bar and grab a glass filling it with a double shot of scotch; I can hear Emmett's voice and assume that he is sitting on the other side of the booth talking to Jasper. I down the shot, refill the glass this time adding coke and move towards the booth.

"Edward! Bout time you got here, we've been waiting for your ass." We?

"Sorry man the team were being fuckwits today so I made them do laps after training." I reach the booth and am able to take a good look at Jasper. He hasn't changed a bit, well except for the entire sleave of tattoo's he's rocking. His blonde hair still has that _I just got fucked _look, and he still wears that shit eating grin that chicks think is cute.

"E you remember Jasper." Emmett says his hand ushering between us.

"Yeah course, how are you man?" This is me at my most polite, it doesn't get any nicer than this.

"Not to bad, glad to be back home that's for sure." So he is being polite too, or maybe he has just grown up more than me and isn't holding onto high school shit.

"So what brings you into this fine establishment?" I ask pushing Emmett to scoot over so that I can join them in the booth.

"Well actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Emmett answers, "Jasper is going to be in town for a while, and you know how I am looking for a band for the bar, well Jasper has agreed to the gig for as long as he is around."

"Yeah awesome, that's cool Em. What do you play?" I turn asking Jasper, I knew he played guitar and piano but I am trying to make small talk.

"Actually that's the thing, I can play guitar, keyboard and sing and I have a bass player lined up but I am desperately in need of a drummer." Oh no, I see where this is going.

"Oh k, I see, so do you want me to ask around at school and see if there are any drummers looking for gigs. I guess I could do that, I could even put up flyers…"

"Stop being a fuckwit, you know you're a sick drummer, just fucking do it, have a jam session or whatever you call it and see what you think. You wouldn't have to perform every night just maybe Thursday and Saturday. We obviously couldn't do Friday coz you have a game."

"Hang on second" I say interrupting Em, "I haven't agreed to anything yet. First I need to know what the pay is."

"How about I just don't charge you for all the drinks you have here, like that $17 double shot you had when you came in."

"Seems fair. Secondly what sort of music are we playing? I refuse to play anything by The Offspring or Jane's Addiction or Stone Temple Pilots or even Nirvana; do you see where I am going with this?" I knew I was being a cockhead but I really didn't want to do this and I was only going to consider it to help Em out. He'd wanted to have live music here for months but couldn't find the right band.

"No fucking way man, I was thinking more along the lines of Kings of Leon, early stuff of course, Mumford and Son's, Kooks."

"You want to play The Kings of Leon and the Kooks in the same set?" Jasper nods as if I am the strange one for asking. "Ok man I gotta admit you got me interested."

Emmett left us to go open up, Thursday night is a busy night for him, so that left Jasper and I to talk. We spent about 30 minutes debating different bands and songs before I asked the million dollar question.

"So Jasper, tell me, what brings you back to forks? Last I heard you were in LA trying to get signed."

"It is a long story actually."

"I got nothing but time man."

"Sweet ok, so in college I met some dudes, we formed a band and took off to LA to get signed. We played in bars for about 3 years before anyone showed any interest in us. We spent the next few months in negotiations with the record label before my drummer got pregnant and quit. Now, as far as the label were concerned she was the deal breaker, she was super hot and feisty and they were going to use her to market the band. So we then spent the next 2 years going from drummer to drummer before finally we found someone. 2 more years of bars and being the support act and we finally had a little cult following going." He pauses to light a cigarette and take a drink.

"So finally about 12 months ago we get approached by a label, they love us, love our music, style, song writing, everything, except they wanted to get a chick lead singer, Paramore style. Now I was not down with this, I had written the songs and they were written to be sung by a man…by me. So I said no. The rest of my band however signed and stole 12 of my songs. So that's what brings me back here."

"That's fucked up." As I listen to Jaspers story I can't believe how calm he is, if someone had not only shattered my dream but then stole it so that they could live there's, I would want to fucking kill people, but Jasper is all, _yeah man, sweet as bro. _As I listen to him something else is also apparent, I really like him. He is pretty good guy.

"Yeah whatever though man, I'm not going to compromise my music. You know what I mean?" But I didn't, I never had anything that I solely created, that was my design. So I just nodded empathetically, something I learnt from coaching the past few years. When Brad is telling you how he is heartbroken and can't train because Jennifer cheated on him, you just nod along.

"So man, you and Bella, both back in town at the same time. There isn't a reunion that I don't know about is there?" Jasper laughed a little stubbing his cigarette out.

"Nah man, not that I know of, we both just thought it was time we came home for a while."

"How long do you plan on staying?"

"Dunno man, hard to say. I guess whenever she is ready to move on." Fuckin hell, so they are together. Brilliant. Well there goes that.

A skinny blonde approaches our table, she is what you would call good from a far but far from good, her head is moving from side to side as she looks from me to Jasper deciding who to target. She chooses Jasper and presses up against the table putting her tits in his face.

"Hi, I was wondering if you had a light?" She asks, her shrill nasal voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

"Sorry darling, I don't smoke, it's totally yucky." He says in the most perfect gay voice, so perfect that I was actually starting to doubt him myself. The blonde is clearly shocked and shoots me a shaky nervous smile.

"Sorry, I don't smoke either." I say, her eyes shoot to the ashtray on the table and the packet of cigarettes beside it, but without saying anything she leaves. "Dude what the fuck was that?" I ask trying desperately not to burst into hysterics as the blonde and her friends are now looking at us.

"Just something I learnt being on the road." He says without elaborating.

"So you mentioned that you had a bassist already, who?"

"Just a mate of mine, they're awesome, one of the best bassist I have ever seen." He says his eyes lighting up.

"Ok sweet, did you want me to like try out for you or something? I mean you don't even know if I am any good."

"Nah man, if Em says you're good and he would be willing to let you play in his bar then you're ok with me. We might need to get together have a practice sesh though. I have to go to Port Angeles for a couple days but will be back Saturday morning, in fact I'm running late, I need to hit the road." He then thrust his phone at me, I enter my number and hand him back the phone.

"I am free Saturday so give me a call when you get back into town." I say extending my hand to his.

"Sure thing bro." Instead of shaking my hand he high fives me, I internally laugh to myself. Jasper quickly says goodbye to Em and then runs out of the bar. It is 6:30pm now and the bar is starting to get quite full, I wonder what time Bella starts, actually I don't give a shit anymore.

I walk to the bar to find Emmett looking panicked on the phone, I help myself to another drink and wait for him to finish.

"Is everything ok Em?" I ask as he hangs up.

"Nah, Rose is getting those pains again, I have to go man but Bella is almost here and someone needs to train her and run the bar and Tyler is sick tonight, and fuck, fuck, fuck."

"Em, chill. I'll call Jake, he and I can train Bella and look after the bar. You go be with Rose, give her a kiss for me." I jump over the bar and grab the towel from Em's jeans putting them in mine.

"You're a lifesaver you know that, it's not true that they say about you." He kids

"It is if they are talking about my dick…"

"Yeah about how freakishly tiny it is." A female voice comes from behind me.

"Bella Swan." I say slightly shocked.

"Edward Cullen." she replies.

"Bella, I have to go. Edward and Jake will be here to train you." Emmett says before grabbing his car keys and running out the door.

"Down the hallway third door on the left is the staff room, put your bag and stuff in there, I just need to make a call." I hand her the keys and immediately call Jake. I watch as she walks down the hall way, she hasn't changed a bit; she is exactly as I remember. She is wearing a black t-shirt with a white long sleave top underneath, tight black jeans and a pair of converse. She certainly doesn't look like a lawyer, but then again she isn't in court is she. Her hair is tied up loosely on her head.

Jake thankfully agrees to come help me and I hang up from him as Bella emerges from the staff room.

"So have you worked in a bar before?" I ask hoping that she has and I would have to give him minimal training.

"Once or twice." She says coldly, looking around at the set up

"While you were at college yeah?"

"Something like that, just show my how to use the register and I should be good to go." I show her the barcode gun and the list of drinks, she picks it up quickly and within serving a handful of customers she is ok to use it herself.

I see Jake arrive and walk into the staff room, I wonder how Bella is going to react to him, as he emerges Bella pushes past me in a rush and runs full pelt at Jake, I reach for my I-phone to record Bella smacking the shit out of him but instead she leaps and wraps her legs around his waist giving him a huge kiss on the cheek.

With Bella still attached Jake walks back to the bar, he gives me a 'what the fuck' look before putting Bella on the counter to

"Jake it is so good to see you" She says jumping down from the bar.

"It is?" He asks sounding as confused as I feel.

"Course it is, you remind me of home. You smell like Forks."

"Thanks, I guess." Their little reunion is interrupted as a large group enter the bar.

The night goes really smoothly, no hiccups, Bella is a complete natural although a little surly, in fact a lot surly but I guess that's all part of the bar bitch charm. As per usual Jake bails just before closing so that he doesn't have to do any of the cleaning, leaving Bella and I alone. Throughout the night I had been watching her, she is so fuck hot. She has this I don't give a fuck attitude and is so brazenly blunt. I had been working most of the night with half a chub.

As the last of the patrons leave, I check the toilets and then lock the front door. I turn the music right down and begin clearing the glasses from the tables. There is a strange tension in the air; it's as if we are both dying to say something to each other but neither wants to be the first to cave. I take a tub of glasses to the washer and begin unstacking the clean ones, I grab a handful of wine glasses and spin around to place them up on the rails, as I turn Bella is directly behind me and I press her body into the bar.

I can feel every curve of her body pressed against mine, I can feel her tits pressed into my stomach, we look at each other, eyes piercing, neither of us moving. After a few long, intense moments she pushes against my chest.

"Fucking watch were your going Cullen, you're a glassing waiting to happen." She spits as she moves away from me.

"Don't pretend you didn't love it." I say back.

"Love _this!" _she shouts as she flips me the bird. We continue cleaning without a word being spoken, after I deem the job done, I grab a bottle of whiskey and sit on one of the stools watching Bella with the last of her cleaning. I chug down a couple of shots, I find myself in a confrontational mood.

"You missed a spot." I yell pointing at a spot on the floor she just mopped. Without looking at me she swings the mop around and goes back over the floor. I wait a few seconds before saying it again. This time, she looks up at me rolls her eyes and keeps mopping.

As she finishes the floor she is standing near me so I lean over and say. "It's all streaky, Emmett hates it like that, you'll have to do it again." In a swift motion she grabs the bucket of dirty water and throws the whole thing at me. Shocked, I drop the glass of whiskey in my hand and run straight at her, he floor is slippery and I struggle to stay upright, I corner her in front of one of the booths, I lunge pushing her back into the booth and pinning her down on the seat with my body.

"Get off me, you're making me wet." I cannot pass up this opportunity.

"That's what all the girls say." I tease, still not moving, her body is wriggling beneath me and if she isn't careful, she will feel a surprise on her leg.

"Yeah the get off bit. You're still an arrogant, smug, self-righteous asshole."

"And you're still a cold, sarcastic, self-loathing bitch."

"Seriously Cullen, get the fuck off me."

"Or what?"

"Or this." I feel her hand grip my nuts, and not in a hot way, in a she's about to prevent me from having children way.

"Ok, ok, ok, let the boys go." I beg using the table to push up off her, once there is daylight between our bodies she lets go of my nuts, oh sweet relief.

"You know I was just playing." I say trying to rub some feeling back into my balls.

"What makes you think I would want to play with you?' She says standing and jumping on the table to get out of the booth. Well there you go, the captain of the basketball team, rejected by the weird music chick…again.

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**AN: Thank you for reading, please review let me know what you think. This Bella is a little different to the Bella's that I have written the past and I think I am having more fun with her, I actually like this Bella haha.**

**Seeing as my first AN was so freaking long I am not going to bore you with my dribble here.**

**Big Cheers to everyone.  
****Court  
****xox**


	3. Ch 3 One crowded hour

**AN: Ok so I officially suck ass…I am sorry that it has been so long since I update but I am going to make it up to you by posting two chapters.**

**A big big thanks to those for reading/adding**

**Bearygirl – sorry for making you wait I promise to update quicker from now on.**

**Berdb – Edward does appear to be a Whoreward and I have a feeling he is going to get a little worse before he gets better but sssshhhh don't tell anyone.**

**Eternal thanks again to Jess **_**THE**_** Beta – much love **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight – unfortunately.**

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**Ch 3 - One crowded hour**

_And for one crowded hour you were the only one in the room,  
I sailed around all those bumps in the night to your beacon in the gloom,  
I thought I had found my golden September in the middle of that purple june,  
But one crowded hour would lead to my wreck and ruin_

I was the popular one in high school; I have a job I love and a stable of chicks begging to sit on my knob, why should I give a shit about what Bella Swan thinks? No matter how many times I tried to tell myself this I couldn't stop thinking about her, about the way she makes me feel.

During my lunch break I decided to go and see my mate Eric, Eric went to Forks High with us, he is now a student counsellor and his office is just down the hall from mine. I tell him then entire Bella story, as I finish he sits there and nods, writing shit down.

"Dude seriously, what are you writing?"

"It's for your file." He says obviously.

"You have a file on me?"

"Are you kidding, I'm considering doing a thesis on you, you're the most interesting person I know, in a really fucked up way of course."

"Of course."

"Ok so, let me guess Bella Swan is the first chick to reject you?" I nod, I don't usually have an issue getting chicks, and in fact I have never had that issue...ever. "How does that make you feel?"

"Crap." Eric, nods and writes some more.

"Here it is Edward, not having observed your interactions with Bella and just going on what you have disclosed to me in this session today..."

"This is not a session Eric; I just came to talk to my friend."

"Whatever, it is blatantly obvious that you are having a real issue with rejection. Have you ever been told no?"

"Not really, no."

"So then your issue isn't with Bella herself, it is actually with your ability to deal with rejection, and I'm afraid to say that as Bella is in a relationship with Jasper, you are going to have to deal with that rejection there is nothing you can do about it."

"How do you suggest that I go about that?"

"Perhaps tonight at the bar you grab a can of concrete and harden the fuck up."

"And you call yourself a professional?"

"This isn't a session remember."

"Thanks for listening to me man, I appreciate it. Come down to Em's tonight and we will grab a drink."

"Nah can't tonight, its date night; we got a babysitter so we are going out for dinner."

"Sweet as bro, say Hi to Ang for me." Eric and I hug it out before I head off to get ready for the game.

I check my phone when I see no sign of Emmett at the game. Sure enough Rose is still sick so Jake is going to look after the bar until I finish up here and then I have to head over and relieve him for his date. I don't mind helping Em out; he and Rose have been through a lot in the last few years.

My boys kill it as usual so I am in a great mood when I walk into bar, Jake runs past me almost knocking me to the floor.

"Sorry man, gotta fly, hot date." I wave and return my attention to the bar and begin serving. At about 11 a fight erupts between two drunken dickheads right in front of Bella, she yells at them to stop, to no avail. I put down the pot glass I am filling and run around the other side of the bar, when I get there though I see the most incredible thing.

Bella grabs the soda gun and sprays the two fighters with ice cold lemonade, the fighters are so shocked that it gives me time to grab one as the security guard grabs the other and drag them outside.

"That was really impressive." I say as I join Bella back at the bar.

"It was purely selfish really; I have wanted to do that since I watched Coyote Ugly."

"Mmm, I see. Well consider this your first verbal warning then, you simply cannot be spraying patrons with soda." I say in my best mangers voice, and to my complete shock and horror she giggles. Not a hysterical belly laugh but a giggle, apparently she does have a sense of humour...who knew?

The rest of the shift was uneventful and the last patron left before closing time so I made Bella and I a couple of shots. 7 or 8 shots later and we were both pretty hammered. Bella is sweeping the floor and I am collecting the glasses and bottles when one of my favourite songs ever comes on.

_I never meant to cause you any sorrow_

_I never meant to cause you any pain_

_I only wanted one time to see you laughing  
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain_

"Ohhh, I love this song." I hear Bella coo from the other side of the room. I put the glasses in my arms on the bar and make my way over to where Bella is dancing with the broom.

"Excuse me, Mr. Broom sir, may I interrupt?" I ask standing behind Bella. She pauses for a moment, I am certain she is about to turn around and tell me to fuck off but instead she drops the broom to the ground turns around slowly to face me. I place my hand out for her to take, she places one hand in mine and the other on my shoulder, using it to space us apart. Obeying her wishes, I place my hand on her hips and then begin moving her around the room.

Just before the chorus, I push her out away from me and then spin her back into me, this time I pull her in close to me and she lets out a giggle.

"This is one the sexiest songs ever, don't you think?" She whispers into my ear.

"For me it would have to be second to cream, that song is sexy as fuck." I whisper back into her ear.

"Mmm agreed." She hums back into me, her head resting on my shoulder, her breathe on my chest. We are barely moving at all now, just holding each other, swaying as the song comes to a close. I want to grab her chin and kiss her more than I have ever wanted anything in my life, but I use what little restraint I posses and I just hold her and smell her hair, which smells so good. God damn it!

As the song finishes The Eagles, Lyin' Eyes begins playing and immediately I drop my hands. I may not be the best bloke going around and I may not have treated women all that well in the past, but I do not sleep with other blokes misuses, well at least not ones I know and have agreed to be in a band with. Bella looks slightly confused by my sudden actions, for a moment she even looks hurt but quickly covers it up with bitch.

I retreat back to the other side of the bar and continue cleaning, it is nearly 4 by the time we are done, I grab some left over post mix and head for the storage room, I grab a box and put it in the doorway leaving it a jar. As I reach to put the last of the boxes away I hear the door shut behind me. I spin instantly to find Bella standing behind me.

"Why did you close the fucking door?" I scream at her, running to the door and pressing desperately on it, sure enough it's locked.

"I'm sorry I was under the impression that what's you did with doors, you open them, you close them, open, close, open, close."

"Yeah well thanks to you we are fucking locked in here."

"What!" She screams dropping the box she is holding and lunging at the door. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Why the fuck didn't you tell me?"

"Do I look like your fucking boss, how was I supposed to know that Emmett didn't tell you that? I don't work here remember!" She checks her pockets for her phone and comes up empty, just as I had. I moved and sat on a keg, Bella sliding down and sitting with her back to the door.

"Great, so I am stuck in here with _you _until someone comes and lets us out."

"What you think that I am happy about it?"

"It's probably another one of your plans to get me again."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I spat at her, this chick is bat shit crazy.

"Please, are you really that much of an asshole that you have forgotten what you did to me at the grad party?"

"What I did to you? Are you fucking kidding me? I remember that very clearly. I remember waiting for you in Em's room for like an hour, that's what I remember."

"What were you planning, were you going to take pictures and then post them around the town, were you going to film it and..."

"Bella, what the fuck are you going on about? I would never have done anything like that, what is wrong with you?"

"Edward, Victoria told me that the only reason you were making out with me was some part of an elaborate plan to humiliate me, so you can stop lying to me, it's just insulting my intelligence. Your good guy act doesn't work on me, I know you, I know..."

"I made out with you because I was fucking in love with you!" I shout stopping her. Her jaw drops open and for the first time in a long time I see the quiet, sweet, kooky girl that I was in love with in high school.

"What? But...Victoria?"

"Victoria was trying to get me to be with her the entire year, don't you think that perhaps when she saw us kissing that she was a little jealous. I would never ever have done anything to hurt you Bella."

"Really?" She asks still in disbelief.

"Yes really." There is a strange awkward silence between us.

"I'm starving; there must be something to eat in this place." She says standing and looking at the shelves. She finds a box of bar nuts on the top shelf, she stands on her tip toes and as she reaches up her lower back is exposed. I stand immediately, moving toward her, I can't stop myself and before I realise it my fingers are lightly tracing the black ink on her skin.

Bella freezes under my touch, she relaxes, her heels touching the ground again.

"What is it?" I ask breathlessly, instead of responding she moves her arms, grabbing each side of her shirt and pulling it up over her head so that she is now standing in just her bra and pants, although there isn't a great deal of skin exposed as her body is covered in tattoos and I mean covered.

I take a step back so that I can see her entire back, my fingers still lingering on her skin. Her entire back is a dragon, I slowly turn her, on her side is a cherry blossom, her right arm has a half sleeve koi fish and her left arm has an incredible picture of a guitar. My fingers trail along the ink, committing what I see to memory.

"That one's a work in progress" She says as my fingers trace the guitar. I notice that around the guitar there are a whole lot of strange signatures.

"What are these?" I ask, I swear one of the signatures looks like it says Dave Grohl.

"People that I adore." She answers simply. I notice that one of the signatures is as plain as day.

"You got Slash's name tattooed on you?"

"Actually he did that himself."

"Are you fucking serious? Slash tattooed his name on your arm?"

"Yep" I stood trying to read the rest of the tattoos, I could only make out a few more names, Caleb Followill, Jared Leto and Lenny Kravitz. I spin her again so that I can look at the tats some more, I am completely fascinated by them, by her.

"So this explains the long sleeves. Em wouldn't care you know. I guess that it's a habit, hiding them I mean, I wouldn't imagine the law firm would love them."

"Umm, yeah...I...umm...keep them hidden." My fingers trace along the branches of the cherry blossom tree taking me up to the side of her bra, her red lace bra that I hadn't paid much attention to before. As my fingers run along the side of her breast, down along her rib her skin becomes covered in goose bumps.

I move to her back looking at the dragon, I run my fingers from bottom to top; it is then that for the first time I notice tiny little stars along her hair line just behind her left ear. As my fingers touch each of the stars a shiver runs down Bella's back and if I was hard already I am rock hard now.

I gently spin her again, my fingers trail from behind her ear along her jaw bone to her lips, I desperately want to touch her lips, the memory of what it felt like kissing her all those years ago suddenly fills my senses and before I can stop myself, I am pressing my lips against hers. My initial thought is to break the kiss but I can't, I can't move at all. At this moment Bella is unresponsive, her lips still and unmoving,

I take the fact that she hasn't slapped me as a sign not to stop, not that I could if I wanted to, I am unsure how to word this without sounding totally lame, it is as if my body is drawn to her, like magnets. I felt this way the last time we kissed. My left hand starts at the base of her spin and slowly moves up until I grab her hair in my hand, she lets out a moan and her lips open slightly.

I feel her hands tugging at the back of my shirt, so I use this opportunity to go further, I lick her bottom lip and instantly she opens her mouth up wider for me. I have to break the kiss to take my shirt off but as soon as it is over my head and I grab both of her legs just below the ass and lift her up, she wraps her legs around my waist as I press her back against the cold wall.

I use one hand to brush the hair off her face, as I look into her eyes, I still can't escape that feeling I had, the feeling that I couldn't stop thinking about for 9 years, the feeling that she belongs to me. That she is mine.

She grabs the back of my hair pulling me toward her, our lips meeting again, this time she is definitely responsive, sucking and biting on my lips and tongue.

Silence suddenly fills the entire room; we both pull back from each other listening. Perhaps the sound system has reached the end of the playlist, nah there is tens of thousands of songs on it.

"Edward! Bella!" I hear Emmett's muffled voice through the door. I instantly release Bella and we both scramble to get our tops.

"Em! In here!" I yell as I bang on the door. A few seconds later the sweet, sweet sound of keys opening a lock fills the room. As the door is pushed open and cold fresh air hits my face, I suddenly realise that what Bella and I were perhaps about to do is now never going to happen and that is made perfectly clear as she barges past me, pushing me into the door.

"Thank god you're here! How did you know we were locked in here?" I ask Em as we walk back into the bar.

"Neighbours called saying that you had left the music on, then when I saw your car still here and the door unlocked I knew you had to still be here."

"Thanks man, you're a life saver."

"No problems, I'll lock up you better get home and get your beauty sleep don't you have to meet Jasper in like 4 hours."

"Oh yeah...Jasper." I feel instantly guilty, I had just made out with my potential band mates girl, that is so not cool. I decide to walk home, I am too drunk to drive and I am hoping the cool air will wash away some of my guilt.

No such luck as I get into bed for a few hours sleep I am still feeling guilty so guilty that I honestly don't know how I am going to face Jasper in a few hours when all I will be thinking about is his girlfriends body pressed against mine. Her tongue in my mouth, her legs wrapped around my waist, her moaning, the smell of her hair and softness of her skin...this is so not helping.

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**AN: Thanks for reading hope you are enjoying this ****– I am having fun writing Bella this way.**

**Please review and let me know what you think, whether you are loving it or hating it.**

**I will be putting links on my profile page to her tat's at some stage later today.**

**I am not going to crap on I need to get the next chapter up.**

**Much love  
****Court  
****xox**


	4. Ch 4 White blank page

**AN: ****As promised here it is!**

**Thanks for being patient with me.**

**Also in terms of **_**Say you'll be there **_**I am hoping to rip out the Epilogue this week – I am super flat out at work due to being away last week but hopefully I can get it done tomorrow night. I need to finish that story off because it is killing my flow…I need closure.**

**Big ups to Jess for Beta'ing the crap out of this, apparently I suck ass at punctuation.**

**Thanks everyone for reading/writing/reviewing**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Twilight, don't have tat and can't sing or play an instrument. I do however own a re-donk-ulous amount of CD's…yep I am one of those people that still buys CD's and doesn't just use I-Tunes – I like to physically own it – plus it makes my lounge room look impressive. **

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**Ch 4 – White blank page**

_A white blank page  
and a swelling rage, rage  
You did not think  
when you sent me  
to the brink, to the brink  
You desired my attention  
but denied my affections, my affections_

"Hey man, how was your trip?" I ask as I approach Jasper sitting on the hood of his car waiting for me to open the bar. He is one cool mother fucker, that's for sure.

"Not bad, good to be back, I've missed this place." I open the bar and we both enter, turning on the lights and sound system.

"You can't seriously tell me that Forks is better than LA?" I question.

"This is home, you know?" I shrug, I don't think I could ever miss this place; I should have left when I had the chance, and it's too late now.

"I'll just get the kit set up and then we can get started if you want. What did you want me to play for you?"

"Whatever you want man." I spend the next 10 or so minutes setting up the kit, amps and mics. It's been ages since I have played the drums and I start to panic thinking that I'll be as useless as tits on a bull. However, as I sit down and pick up the sticks, it all comes rushing back and suddenly hundreds of songs are coursing through my veins.

My favourite song to play is Ticks and Leeches by Tool; it is wicked fun and allows me to show off, my hands move furiously as I hit every beat with perfection. I was being modest when I told Jasper that I could sort of play drums, I am fucking brilliant, completely self taught, I used to spend hours and hours listening to songs and learning them. I bring the song to a close knowing I just fucking killed it.

"Umm, dude you're awesome." Jasper says giving me a high five.

"Cheers man, so do you have a set list or anything?" Jasper nods handing me a tatty sheet of paper, I am relieved when I realise that I can play every song on the list. "So where is this super awesome incredible bassist?"

"Sorry I'm late guys, have I missed anything?" Bella asks as she walks into the bar, why the fuck would she be here, don't tell me she is a Yoko. It isn't until she steps onto the stage that I notice she is carrying a much worn, very loved guitar case.

"You're the bass player?" I ask in complete shock, Bella stares at me in discontent, and it is blatantly obvious that last night was a huge drunken mistake; at least it was for her.

Bella takes out her guitar, it is beautiful, but not just that it is familiar, I have seen this guitar before. She quickly tunes it before ripping into an incredible version of Higher Ground by the Chilli Peppers, I immediately join in and Jasper follows soon after. We make a friggin awesome group if I do say so myself.

"Not bad Cullen." Bella compliments as the song finishes.

"I could same the same to you." I reply snidely

"Bitch, who do you think you are? Telling..."

"I think we make a good little band, hopefully Emmett will be happy enough to let us play." Jasper interrupts Bella, putting his hand on her knee; she quietens and focuses on her guitar strings.

"Edward! Edward, you in here?" Alice shouts from the front door.

"Yeah Al, back here." Alice rounds the corner and then comes to a complete halt.

"You're playing again?" She asks in disbelief. Alice always loved when I played drums, she used to make me play for hours, I tried to teach her a few times but she is unable to tell her feet and hands to do two different things. She runs toward the stage and jumps clear up onto it throwing her arms around my neck.

"Guys, this is my cousin Alice, Alice this is Bella" Bella lifts her eyes from her guitar and flashes Alice the most genuine smile I have seen from her since she saw Jake the other night. "And this is Jasper, I went to school with both of them, they have just come back into town, Bella is the new bar girl." I knew that Alice was aware of all this but I didn't want Bella to think that we...I had been talking about her.

Jasper and Alice are standing, staring at each other mid hand shake. I shoot a glance at Bella who is completely oblivious to what is occurring between her boyfriend and my cousin. The moment lasts so long that not only do I feel awkward but I also feel like I am intruding.

"What do you need Al?" I ask breaking their little eye fucking session.

"I...umm...I..." she shakes her head, drops Jasper's hand and turns her attention back to me. "I just brought a new bed and was hoping that you could help me get it in my room and put it together for me."

"Actually Alice, I could help you with that..."

"No, I can do it." I say interrupting Jasper.

"No honestly Edward, I..."

"Jasper, she is my cousin, I can help her." All three of them shoot me strange looks, Bella looks confused, Jasper looks a little annoyed and Alice is going to castrate me.

"Cullen, Jasper was a furniture removalist back in LA, I think he can well and truly handle it." Bella says slightly amused. Am I the only one that sees what is going on here? What am I missing out on? Maybe in LA that's how people roll, I thought the swinging 70's were dead but then again Jasper looks like he is from the 70's so maybe it is still alive and kicking. However it is not alive and kicking here in Forks and especially not with my cousin.

"Whatever." I say in defeat, I will be having stern, stern words with Alice tonight. I watch sickened as Alice and Jasper walk out of the bar, I turn to look at Bella who is still tinkling with her guitar.

"And you're ok with this?" I ask frustrated.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Umm, because your boyfriend just went off with some chick that he just met."

"Seriously Cullen, can you hear yourself. A) Alice needs help B) Jasper has the experience to help her C) its called trust, Cullen. Just because you try and root everything that breathes doesn't mean everyone else does."

"Trust?" I ask, eyebrows raised.

"Last. Night. Did. Not . Happen." She says firmly.

"Really, that's not how I remember it? I seem to recall the cherry blossom branch that touches your breast, and I seem to recall the red lace bra you were wearing, and the taste of your mouth on mine and how soft the skin on your neck is, but mostly I recall the sound of you moaning when I touched you."

"Recall this!" She yells, standing grabbing her guitar and kicking my symbol clear across the stage before storming out. I smirk knowing that I am getting under her skin.

****

**

* * *

**

"Hey Rosie, how you feeling?" I ask as Rose comes to sit in the booth with Jake and I.

"Heaps better today, thanks." Her smile not reaching her eyes though. Alice comes skipping, literally skipping, over to our booth.

"You gotta stop snorting that pixie dust little one." Jake teases as she bounces into the booth beside me.

"What are you so happy about?" I ask praying that she isn't about to tell me she rode the Hale express this afternoon.

"I have a date tomorrow night." She beams

"With?" Rose asks

"Jasper Hale." She says proudly.

"No, no, no, no, Bella is his girlfriend."

"No she isn't." She says confidently.

"Umm, yes she is."

"Umm, no she isn't."

"Tell her Jake"

"I think that she is Ally" Jake says backing me up.

"No she isn't, that is just what they told everyone so that people would leave them alone. People like you two." Alice says pointing at Jake and me.

"Genius." Rose says laughing. I sit there fuming, how could they both lie to me like that? What a pack of assholes.

"So how's the band Eddie? Ready to perform tonight?" Em asks bringing over a couple of jugs of beer.

"I hate to say it but we are actually really good, even though they are both cunts."

"Ey, watch the c word!" Alice scolds.

"Well they are and no other word seemed to cover it."

"What's up your ass?" Rose asks, she must be feeling better, she is getting her spunk back; Emmett notices this and leans down kissing her forehead.

"Nothing, I just hate liars, its fucking bullshit. Like why are they even back here? It makes no sense."

"Someone's got their period." Em says before walking back to the bar.

"Who's got their period?" Jasper asks approaching the group with Bella hiding behind him as usual.

"Hi Jasper." Alice coos which makes me throw up a little in my mouth.

"Hi Alice, Jake great to see you man." Jasper and Jake shake hands and Bella smiles brightly at him and Alice.

"Bella, Jasper this is Rose." Alice says introducing them.

"So you're the band geeks." Rose says looking them both up and down.

"So you're the slutty cheerleader that married the star basketball player." Afraid for Bella's safety I stood quickly grabbing her and dragging her backstage, Jasper following swiftly behind us.

"So Rose is a bitch." She says placing her guitar on the stand.

"You don't fucking know anything about her."

"I know she is a bitch." She retorts, I move suddenly so that I am now towering above her, she takes a defensive step backwards.

"Don't you dare speak about her like that, you don't know shit!" I say with all the venom I feel towards her and Jasper. Man I feel sorry for my drums tonight.

"Guys, 5 mins then you're on!" Em yells from the side of the curtain. I take a step back from her and do the last checks on the equipment. We have decided that due to lack of practicing we will be playing a short set tonight only 6 songs.

The set is flawless, the crowd erupt and Em gives us a thumbs up as we walk from the stage.

"Man that was fucking awesome, I have missed that." Jasper says excitedly.

"You hurt Alice and I'll fucking kill you." I hiss before walking straight out the side door into the car park. I don't know why I care so much that they lied to me, I don't even like them that much, well that's not true, but it isn't as if we were best mates or anything. Eric is going to have a field day with this when I tell him on Monday.

I decide to walk back in through the front door hoping to avoid them both, Bella should be back behind the bar and I sincerely hope that Jasper isn't sitting with Alice at our table. I'm shit out of luck; I can see his blonde hair as soon as I walk in the door. I walk behind the bar and grab an entire bottle of whiskey and then take it to Em's office with me hoping for some peace and quiet.

"I never thought I would see the day, that Edward Cullen is hiding." Rose says walking in and sitting on the floor beside me. "You're in the wrong profession you know, you make a beautiful tortured artist."

"Rose, I really don't want to talk about it."

"Talk about what?"

"About Bella."

"What about her?"

"About the fact that I am clearly still harbouring some feelings from high school."

"And?"

"And that I need to tell her and see where I stand especially now that I know that she and Jasper aren't together."

"Ok we won't talk about it." Rose stood and headed for the door.

"Hey Rose!"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks"

"You're welcome. If you even don't want to talk about something, you know I'm here." She can be a right royal bitch but I love that woman. I don't know how long I stayed in Em's office for but when I walk out the room it is dark and silent. I flick on a couple of lights and head up to my drums. I put the sound pads on and started thrashing them, getting out all of my drunken anger.

"You really had a crush on me?" I hear her ask from behind me beside the door.

"What the fuck does it matter now?"

"It matters." She is closer now, perhaps three or four feet behind me. I stand and turn to leave but underestimate her proximity and come face to face with her. "It matters." she whispers again, all of her harsh, bitch exterior is gone and she is soft and beautiful.

"Bella what are you even doing here."

"I came back to get my guitar."

"Why the fuck did you lie to me? I bet you thought it was real funny today when I was trying to stop Alice going with Jasper. I bet you both laughed about it, I was fucking trying to protect you."

"Says the man that kissed me."

"I thought you said that didn't happen." I shot back angrily, we are still standing toe to toe, neither of us backing down. I look down at her guitar and it finally dawns on me where I have seen it before. "Who are you?" I ask hoping for a truthful answer.

"Isabella Swan."

"Where have you really been all these years? You're not a lawyer are you?"

"No, I'm not."

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**AN:**** I am interested to hear any theories that you might have on where Bella has been and why she is back.**

**Please review and let me know if you are loving/hating this.**

**Anyway that's enough chitty chatter I have to get back to work – Thanks for reading!**

**Court  
****xox**


	5. Ch 5 Liar

**AN: Sorry, I tried to get this out asap – I have been so busy at work but luckily this story keeps bashing against the side of my head so I had no choice but to not do my work and write as much as I could…however now my 'to do list' is mmaaaassssiiivvveee! But its worth it coz I love you**

**Ok seriously no time for rambling, I have like 4 more minutes to do this.**

**Thanks to all for reading/adding – your awesome**

**Lauren – you make me smile! I am about to inbox you ( I have allocated 2 mins for that – hehe)**

**Jesigrl007 – I really like the way you think! You may or may not be close – I guess you'll find out soon!**

**Jess – as always I heart that you Beta my shit even though you aren't feeling well :( big hugs and I hope you feel better!**

**That's it on with the show / story you know what I mean**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Twilight or any musical instruments except a recorder that we had to play in grade 3 (long long time ago – and I was crap)**

* * *

**Ch 5 – Liar**

_You know, you know, you know I'm a liar_

_I can't, I can't get burned by this fire_

_But you, had to._

"What are you then?" A million and 10 things are running through my mind, the guitar playing, the tattoos, the signatures, and the attitude.

"Nothing any more"

"What were you?"

"Not a lawyer"

"Fuck Bella! Why do you refuse to talk to me? What are you afraid of? Just admit that you are Black Swan." I yelled at her, she is fucking infuriating, I either want to rip her clothes off and lick every millimetre of her body or I want to strangle her. She shrugs dismissively. I loose my cool turn around and kick my bass drum clear off the stage. Fuck, I am going to have to get a new one.

I follow the direction of my drum and head for the bar; I grab a bottle of Jack and pour it down my throat. I can hear her footsteps behind me.

"The reason I don't want to tell you anything is because I keep waiting for Ashton to jump out of the cupboard telling me I have been punk'd." She says as she pours herself a beer.

"Why would you be punk'd, other than the fact that you're the super elusive, mega famous, best bass guitar player possibly ever? Let me guess you and Ashton are friends too?" I say snidely.

"We've met a few times." She answers coolly, as she jumps up and sits on the bar.

"Why would I punk you Bella?" I ask again moving towards her.

"I don't know, I guess that I will always view you the way you were in school, the super cool, Basketball Captain, totally hot, had all the chicks Edward Cullen, I will always be the freak-show, weirdo, skinny punk rocker chick. They don't belong together, Edward."

"Who says?" I take another step forward so that now her knees are touching my thighs.

"The universe."

"Fuck the universe, what do you think?" I don't give her a chance to answer, instead I take the last step between us, pushing her legs apart so that I can stand in between them, and my left hand grabs the back of her head, bringing her face towards me. I pause for a split second giving her the chance to push me back, she doesn't so I continue.

I firmly press my lips against hers, more firmly than I should have but I need to make a point. I open my lips slightly, she mimics me, and I push my tongue hungrily into her mouth. I use all the strength I posses to break the kiss, an involuntary growl escapes her open mouth.

"That's what I thought." I say smugly moving backwards and leaning against the wall opposite her. I kind of expected her to be furious and maybe even call me the c word, but she didn't instead she looked…she looked…I don't actually know what that emotion is, conflicted I guess.

"You don't understand Edward, my life, it's…not normal. It's complicated, I'm complicated."

"Talk to me Bella. You _can _trust me. You could have trusted me back at high school you know. I wasn't the guy you seem to think I was. When will you understand that?" She skulls the rest of her beer and then takes a deep breath, staring into my eyes, no doubt deciding whether or not to confide in me, whether or not I am worth it.

"It's a really long story." She says, I know what she is trying to do and I am not buying it.

"I've got nothing but time." I say glancing at my watch. Fuck! It's already 3:30am. She jumps down off the bar and nods for me to follow her, she moves to the corner of the room with all the couches and lounges. She picks one of the bigger couches and sits with her back against the arm rest and her legs spread out in the seat, I know she did this to keep me away.

I pick up her legs, sit down and then put her legs back down in my lap, a slight smile pulls at the side of her mouth but she replaces it quickly.

"What do you want to know?" She asks slight hesitation in her voice.

"Everything," I state simply.

"Ok, I like Pina Colada's and getting caught in the rain."

"Fuck this!" I spit, pulling her legs off me and standing up. Before I reach the door, she is standing in front of me.

'You really want to know?" I don't respond instead I just stare at her, I am beyond frustrated by now, if Bella were a bloke I would have punched him in the mouth a long time ago. "Ok sit." She demands pointing to the couch. I stand still, waiting for her to move and commit to the conversation before I do. She huffs and then throws herself into the couch. I follow sitting opposite her on the table.

"Ok so the last time you saw me I was telling you that I had been accepted to Harvard and I was going there to do law." I nodded and let her continue. "Well, I did go to Harvard for all of 4 months. I hated it immensely. I hated the people, the work, the place, the whole idea of Ivy League. I yearned to be with Jasper, to be with the music."

"I came back here to talk to Charlie, to try and reason with him and explain that I was dropping out. From the moment I walked in the front door he just kept telling me how proud he was that a Swan was going to Harvard and how he would have a big time Lawyer for a daughter. I couldn't tell him, I couldn't break his heart. We only had each other." Her voice softens as she talks about her father.

"So I lied to him, I kept up the lie that I was at Harvard when I had actually already quit and cleared all my stuff out. I moved in with Jasper in LA and started playing as a backup Bassist in his band when their Bassist couldn't make it. I loved it; this was what I was meant to do. At one of the gigs I was playing in Dave Grohl saw me play. He waited around for me after the gig; apparently he was putting a band together and wanted me to play Bass. I didn't say yes but I agreed to me the other members."

"I met the band and while I really liked and respected all of them, I just couldn't do it. Not just because I was scared of Charlie finding out but it's not me. The spotlight. I was more than happy to play in the shadows in the back but as Dave and Jasper both pointed out I was a chick and I was going to be the centre of attention. The band ended up being Queens of the Stone Age. Dave and I became great friends and I played on a lot of their songs but I never toured with them, I refused. He is the one that also gave me my name."

"Black Swan," I said interrupting.

"Yeah. Anyway Dave ended up introducing me to heaps of people and that's how my strange little career started. I loved it at the start, I loved the anonymity of it, people in the biz knew who I was but that was it, I was still able to walk around freely, I mean most people thought I was bloke, at one stage some gossip site names Jasper the Black Swan and we laughed about that for ages."

"So who exactly have you played with?" I ask in complete fascination.

"Umm, no one really." She dismisses

"Either you tell me or I will just Google you." I threaten putting my hand in my pocket to fetch my I-phone."

"Fine, fine." She grabs my phone putting it on the couch beside her. "Kings of Leon, Velvet Revolver and Guns n' Roses for that matter, Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz, The White Stripes, Chilli Peppers, The Strokes, Pearl Jam, The Killers, Bruce Springsteen, The Kooks, The Foo Fighters, that's all I can really remember off the top of my head."

"Off the top of your head...are you kidding me? So the autographs on your arm, they are people that you have worked with?"

"Yeah most of them." She says her arm subconsciously moves to toucher her tattoo.

"Most of them?" I ask intrigued.

"Yeah well I haven't played with 30 seconds to mars but met Jared Leto at a Pearl Jam gig and we got drunk and he tattooed me."

"He tattooed you?"

"Yeah majority of them are done by the author."

"You're shitting me?"

"Nope," She looks away from me embarrassed.

"So why are you back here? Your life sounds so fucking amazing why on earth would you come back here?" Her fingers run down across her arm and trace a scar that I hadn't noticed the other night, it is on her wrist, running parallel with her veins.

"You fucking tried to kill yourself?" I accuse far more harshly than I anticipated.

"Fuck you! I didn't fucking try kill myself. You don't know shit about me and what I have been through." She screams a tear escaping and crawling down her cheek, I feel sick in the pit of my stomach and know that it isn't from the copious amounts of whiskey I had drunk tonight.

"Bella, I am so sorry, I didn't mean it like that, the scar shocked me and I'm sorry." I put my hand on her knee to comfort her but instead it had the opposite effect and she flinched away from me. "Bella," her name escapes my lips as a whispered beg. She tried to smile to satiate me but it doesn't reach her eyes and only makes me feel worse. "Bella, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to but you have to know that I would never physically hurt a women and I most certainly would never hurt you. I might be a prick 95% of the time but I would never hurt you."

I really want to kiss her right now; instead I sit and wait as she stares at her hands that are fidgeting with her rings. I watch as she twists a ring around and around and around. We could have sat there in silence for hours for all I knew. She takes a deep breath, her head lifting, her eyes drilling into mine.

"The scar isn't from me, it's from someone else." I can feel my blood boiling but I desperately want her to continue so I box my rage and remain silent. "About a year ago, I started getting these really creepy letters, I had developed I guess what you would call a cult following and some of them were really intense but on a whole they were great. Anyway these letters become progressively worse and worse and more graphic. Dave and Jasper begged me to show them to the cops, but I was a nobody, what would the cops care?"

"About 3 months later I met this really great guy, R...Ri..." She stops and takes a deep breath; I put my hand on her knee again, this time she doesn't flinch away. "Riley. When I first met him he pretended to have no idea who I was, we got along really well. Jasper said that he got a funny vibe from him but I just thought that Jasper was a little jealous. Anyway Riley and I started dating, after 2 months I started to think something was a little strange with him, he would say really strange shit and became really possessive."

"He and I went to see this secret gig The Kooks were doing, the boys invited me to play and I did begrudgingly, at the end of the set Luke grabbed me and started kissing me, it was all for the crowd but Riley lost his shit, tried to punch Luke. I managed to calm him and he begged me to go to his house," She pauses again, wiping tears from her eyes. I don't know what to do, I decide to move and sit besides her putting my arm around her shoulder, and she leans her head into me and begins crying more.

"I had never been to his place before; he had always stayed at mine. I walked into a dark room; he locked the door behind me before turning the light on. The walls were covered in pictures and news clippings about me, the pictures just weren't from the net either, there were pictures of Jasper and I having dinner and of me at the Laundromat. I turned to leave but Riley was standing by the door with this terrifying look in his eyes, at the moment I knew I was fucked."

"He grabbed me, I tried to fight him off but he was way too big and strong for me. I...I...I was trapped inside his place for three days." I grabbed Bella pulling her onto my lap so that I could hold her properly, letting her know she is safe now.

"Shh, sweetheart its ok now, ssshhh" I whisper into her hair, kissing her forehead.

"One the third day he put me in a bathtub and slit my wrist, he fucking sat on the toilet and watched as the life began to drain from my body, the whole time telling me that he loved me and that no one else would ever have me. I made my peace then and knew that I was going to die." She has no emotion what so ever in her voice now, it is almost like she is telling someone else's story.

"The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital room to find Jasper lying beside me. Apparently I had been in an induced coma for just over 48 hours. Initially they were worried that I would have permanent brain damage from being unconscious for so long, but I woke up fine they said. When I didn't come home or answer my phone Jasper started to worry and managed to finally track down Riley's address. Riley was arrested and somehow managed to escape bail. So that's what brings us here."

"Bella, I..."

"Please don't Edward; I don't want to talk about it anymore." Her voice sounds exhausted, I pick her up and take her into Emmett's office where there is a foldout couch. I grab the spare bedding and I go and lock up. When I walk back into the room she is already asleep. I climb in behind her and pull her body into mine.

* * *

**AN: Ok so thanks for reading, please review let me know what you think? **

**As previously mentioned this is only going to a be a little story in comparison with my others and I did also previously mention that I was going to stop writing for a while…well I lied, a new story came to me the other day when I was driving listening to Alberta Cross (my absolute new fav by the way) So I will be putting another story up when I finish this.**

**I will also be pausing this story so that I can write a freaking epilogue for Say you'll be there but then I'll eb straight back...promise.**

**Also I just want to point out that this story is fiction therefore if I want Bella to be the most sick wicked guitarist in the world then she is…I really like this writing caper. I also really wish that I was Bella (minus the Riley stuff of course) that would be freaking un-be-leivable!**

**Ok times up, Im off.**

**Thank you thank you thank you**

**Cheers  
****Court  
****xox**


	6. Ch 6 Stormy Weather

**AN: Ok so I know that it has been quite some time between updates and I apologise for that – so to make up for it this chapter is a long one.**

**Thanks to everyone for reading/adding – I appreciate your patience.**

**Twilightfan1969 - you're awesome for thinking that this is awesome**

**Edward'sBella17 – you followed me (insert bouncing on the spot and clapping)**

**Theunbestest – So I am a traitor, I haven't had time to look at your stories but I am going away this weekend to the beach and have saved it to my laptop so I will be able to read your stuff this weekend :)**

**As always my excellent amazing Beta Jess pumped this through in record time – I heart you**

**Anyway that is enough from me – I have heaps of work to do…arrggg**

**Disclaimer – don't own Twilight! Do own the new Kings of Leon album – it's ok but I don't love love it like I do the previous albums.**

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**Ch 6 – Stormy Weather**

_And it feels like love, love, love  
Oh yes, it feels like touch, touch, touch_

What did I say?  
What did I say?  
What did I say?  
Oh, I didn't mean it

What did I do  
Oh, to hurt you  
Oh, I didn't mean it  
Oh, oh, I didn't mean it!

I had to talk to someone about her, about what she had told me last night, I had to debrief as Eric would say. I barely slept at all last night, my mind was racing at million and ten miles per hour, how could it not after what she had told me?

"Hey man." He says as he sits down, god he is so smooth, I used to think I was the king of smooth, I mean, I definitely was in high school but Jasper well and truly has me covered these days, I look like an awkward 14 year old doing the cough and reach at the movies on his first date in comparison to him.

"Hey Jazz, umm...sorry for calling you so early man but I really need to talk to someone." I picked Jasper because he already knew her story and I wouldn't be betraying her trust this way.

"No stress man, I didn't think that you would want to speak to me after last night." Before I get a chance to speak the waitress is over and takes our orders for breakfast, she lingers slightly too long which is infuriating. I glare at her; thankfully she gets the point and walks away.

"I'm sorry about last night, I lost my shit at you which wasn't cool, you dating Alice is cool with me."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" He asks taking his aviators off so that he can look at me properly.

"I spoke to Bella."

"Oh."

"Yeah oh. She told me everything from Black Swan to Riley to why you guys are here." I paused unsure of how to continue, I don't want him to think that I am gossiping about her. Jasper looks down at his hands, just like Bella last night; I notice that he fiddling with a ring, I also notice that it is the same one Bella has.

"What's with the rings?" I blurt out before I have a chance to censor it. Jasper looks up at me briefly then back down at his ring. "Bella has an identical one." I state obviously.

"Yeah man." He says dejectedly. "I bought it for her the second day she was in hospital. I love her Edward." He looks me straight in the eye now. "I thought that I had lost her." He takes out a cigarette and lights it, taking 4 drags before speaking again.

"She is everything to me, she is my soul mate." I shift awkwardly in my seat not knowing where he is going with this. "Those years we spent together in LA, that was the best time of my life, the music, the bands, the parties, the perks, it was the best. We were living the high life...Bella and I."

"People not only knew us Edward but they loved us, they loved my music, and hers they just didn't know it. God I wish you could have seen her back then, she was fucking magic man. Fuck Joan Jett and Janis Joplin, Bella Swan is fucking rock and roll. Why she never stepped into the spotlight is beyond my comprehension, I craved it she loathed it." He shakes his head as he realises that he is digressing.

"Everyday Edward I relive the day we found her, every fucking day. I can't sleep without thinking what if. What if I had found them sooner? What if I had put my foot down and said that I didn't like him? What if she had of actually fucking listened to me? What if I had found them 20 minutes later or 2 hours or 2 god damned days? Every fucking day man."

"The things he did to her, I can't even tell you, she doesn't remember most of it thank fucking Christ. Docs reckon that her memory is fine but that she has repressed it, which could result in long term effects. She was a mess, she was unrecognisable. When I saw her in that bath, my heart broke into a million pieces, I thought she was dead." I have so many questions but I can't ask a single one, I put myself in Jaspers shoes and can easily feel the pain and suffering that is evident on his face.

"Bella and I, our souls are intertwined with each other. We have spent many lifetimes together before this one. What we have cannot be explained, but you need to know Edward that we are in no way _in _love with each other. Never have been. The thought of Bella in a sexual way like that makes my skin crawl; it would be like if you thought about Alice that way. She is more to me than a friend or a sister; she is my mirror image man."

"The rings signify that no matter what road that life takes us on our love for each other is unending. I will be there for her until her last breath. And Edward this is non-negotiable. If you have an issue with this then what ever you and Bella are or aren't or trying to be won't work. Alice will have to understand this too." I think about what Jasper is saying and while I don't really understand it or pertain to the previous lives bullshit, I respect him and her and what they have.

"Can I ask you something?" Jasper nods at my request, I think carefully of how to word this. "Do you think that Charlie is the reason that she didn't step onto the stage?"

"Always thought so, I used to tell her that Charlie would be fucking proud that his daughter is the best bass guitarist of our generation but she wouldn't listen to me. She was convinced; there was nothing I or anyone else could say."

"I don't know a great deal about her life, but I have heard of the Black Swan, and like everyone else was fascinated by this phantom. How did she manage to keep it a secret?" I put my pride away and ask questions like I work for a fucking school newspaper. Jaspers face lights up as he thinks back.

"2 things really, 1 I went everywhere with her so people started to assume that it was me and not her, but secondly the most important one, she gained the respect of the people she worked with, so they happily kept it a secret. Whenever she played at peoples gigs they would always introduce her as Bella, the fans would have just thought that she was their friend or something."

"So she was really that good?"

"You have no idea man. I was, still am actually 100% envious of her. The talent she has, once in a lifetime shit. And she writes songs too. Fucking amazing ones, she has even had a few of them recorded."

"Would I know any?"

"She wrote No One Knows with Dave"

"Get the fuck out."

"Nah truth man, but you want to know what is even more awesome, you know Kings of Leon's True Love Way and Jet's She a Genius?"

"Don't fucking say it!" I shake my head in disbelief.

"Yep! About her" He says proudly.

"You don't mean?"

"She did have a brief thing with Nic Cester, her and Caleb or Tony as she calls him, that's a pretty funny story actually. Caleb was told about Bella from Eddie when they toured together, said they should check her out as they were thinking about adding a second base to their album, anyway Bella loves the Kings of Leon so of course she agreed. Caleb fell somewhat in lust with her and tried and tried but she wasn't having it. I'm not sure why actually, because I know that she adored him, and I mean have you heard that man's voice, I would turn for that shit."

"One night we were at some hotel party and Caleb stands, shitfaced, on the top of the piano and announces that he has a new song. He then screams at someone to get him a guitar, the whole time we are all terrified that he is going to fall off the piano, he is handed a guitar and he shouts, 'This is for my Bella' and then begins to play True Love Way. Due to enormous peer pressure she went home with him that night and they saw each other a couple of times but that was it."

"What happened?"

"She said something about it ruining the fantasy, I guess you realise how ordinary people are when you sleep next them, I mean they are just people. Bella loves their music so much that she didn't want to ruin it for herself. I guess she picked the love of his music over him."

What the fuck is it about this girl that makes me so insecure? How the fuck can I expect her to be interested in me when she isn't even interested in a man that's sex is on fire? There is no fucking way, I am a boring basketball coach from Forks fucking Washington, I am not Caleb or Nic or any of the other...wait.

"Her tat's, are they like people she has fucked?" Jasper bursts into laughter which appeases me a little.

"God no, I am on there and Steve Tyler and that dude is a relic. Gary Busey tried to get his name on her but luckily for her he passed out and we snuck out of his party.

"Can I be honest with you man?"

"Yeah."

"I hate hearing this shit. Your lives are what movies are made of, your more epic than William Miller and Penny Lane for fucks sake."

"Nah dude, you've got it all wrong. Bella isn't about the parties and the celebrities, that's why she hooked up with Riley, because he was real, well at least that what she thought. Most of the rich and famous shit is just a facade, the people are fake, and their bullshit is fake. I mean isn't as bad in the music industry as it is in the film but you still get douchbags, most of them are rappers though." I laugh and while I feel a little better, I am still aware that I have fuck alls chance in hell.

"Dude, I am really sorry but I gotta fly." Jasper puts his aviators back on and throws a $20 on the table.

"Thanks heaps for everything man. Hey and listen, I don't know if you have anything planned with Alice yet, but can I suggest Chinese take away and the Notebook."

"Sweet as bro." We bump fists and then I sit back down and order another coffee. Admittedly I am still in shock and awe, I made out with one of the coolest people to walk this planet...and I didn't even realise it. Realisation hits me, if she made out with me once, maybe she will do it again...I mean I am Edward fucking...

"Cullen!" The screech pierces through my ears and kills a few hundreds of my brain cells. "Hey Baby," she squeals.

"Hi Jess." Without invitation she pulls Jaspers recently vacated seat around so that she is sitting beside me.

"I haven't seen you in like forever. Do you not love me anymore Edward?" She was aiming as super cute but achieved super irritating.

"I've been real busy lately Jess." She starts rambling on and on and on but I drone her out and think about what Bella and Jasper said to me. It seems my entire life at the moment revolves around her, that shit is so fucked up, I never revolve around chicks, and chicks revolve around me. I'm Edward fucking Cullen.

Jess is still talking a million miles an hour, without actually listening to her I watch her, she is pretty, short, thin, blonde usually exactly my type. Great set of tits, definitely my type! To be honest she isn't really a bad chick, thick as door knob but nice enough, I'm sure she will make some man very happy one day but unfortunately for that guy just isn't me.

"Edward? Are you even listening to me? Edward!" She raises her voice just enough to get through the block I had put in place.

"Yeah, I'm listening." I lie, she knows I am lying too but she doesn't care she just continues, I guess she is content with getting to spend any time with me, even if I am blatantly ignoring her...sad isn't it? Out of nowhere she leans over and kisses me, right on the mouth, driving her pointy little tongue straight in, it takes me a second to register and pull away.

"What was that?" I ask in shock.

"Some weird student or something from your school was staring at us so I thought that I would give her something to stare at." I immediately look around to see who she is talking about but can't see anyone I recognise from work.

"Listen, I have to go Jess." I say abruptly standing.

"I'll call you later tonight." She says lifting her eyebrows suggestively.

"Nah I'm busy tonight...actually I will be busy for a while?" I begin to walk out.

"How long?" Jesus desperate much?

"Forever." I say quickly rounding the corner, I know it was fucking harsh but it was just sex, it's not like we were in a relationship or anything.

* * *

Monday dragged and dragged on, I honestly thought 4pm would never fucking come, I even considered cancelling training I was that fucking bored. Nope that's a lie, I wasn't bored, I knew that Bella was working tonight and couldn't wait to get to the bar to see her. I am turning into one sick mother fucker. It's not like I fucking love her, I am just completely fascinated by her and it has nothing to do with the Black Swan, I felt this way about her 10 years ago.

Fuck my life. An emergency meeting was called at school for some fundraising disaster or some bullshit, I have been sitting in this sterile boardroom for 3 hours, 46 minutes and 58 seconds, I have no idea what they are yelling about because I couldn't fucking care less, it has nothing to do with me or my team. I won't be able to see her tomorrow because of school shit; I'm going to have to wait until Wednesday night when we have scheduled a practice session.

* * *

I grab my brand new bass drum from the backseat of my car and lug it into one of the studios at school; I had convinced the head of the music department, who totally wants my body by the way, to allow me to use it for our sessions. I am running a little late and can hear Jazz and Bella playing as I enter the hall way.

"Sorry I'm late guys, someone trashed my old drum so I had to go get a new one." I turn to Bella expecting her to smile or if I am really lucky laugh, nope nothing. She isn't even looking at me, I see that the rest of my kit is already set up; I put the new drum in and sit. Jasper hands me the set list for this weekend, wicked choice of tracks. I have played all but one of them before, but know the song well.

"Jazz, I think that we should do Kellis's caught out there or maybe we could do Kate Nash's dickhead or..."

"Bella what's up with you?" Jazz asks both of us looking at each other in complete confusion.

"Carly Simon's you're so vain."

"Bella."

"Wait I have the perfect song." She angrily starts playing her guitar.

"_Don't take me on no, no  
Don't take me on no, no  
Don't take me on" _She sings angrily looking straight at me.

_"Shattered the lie but you think I don't already know,  
Don't try to deny 'cause my fuse is ready to blow  
Its your turn to learn I think that you know where to go  
It's a shame, shame, shame for you" _What the fuck? Why is she screaming at me for?

"Please don't come around and knock on my door  
'cause I don't want to have to pick you up of the floor"

"Bella, fucking stop it!" I yell. Jasper grabs the guitar from her hands staring at me in utter puzzlement. She stands up abruptly slamming her chair to the ground and bursting out through the door slamming it shut violently behind her.

"What the fuck man?" Jasper asks me as he picks up the chair.

"I have no idea, is she on the rag or something?"

"Not cool man. What did you do?"

"I have no fucking clue, I haven't seen her since Sunday morning and everything was cool then." Is she shitty coz I haven't called her? I am supposed to call her? I don't even have her friggin number.

"If there is one thing I know about Bella is that you have better go fix this shit. Time doesn't calm her down; it just festers making her angrier and angrier."

"She gets angrier than that?" Jasper doesn't say anything instead he points at the door. "Where would she have gone?" He gives me directions to their place, turns out it us just down the road.

There is a banged up piece of shit truck in the drive so I assume that is hers, in fact I seem to recall her having that same car in high school, I'm surprised it still runs. Hesitantly I knock on the door.

Nothing. Was I really expecting her to answer it? I turn the handle and open the door slightly.

"Bella!"

"Fuck off Edward." I open the door a little more and survey the room for a possible attack, I can't see her but I can hear her cursing under her breathe in a room further down the hall way.

I edge in slowly, closing the door behind me quietly. I creep down the hallway, I can hear her throwing stuff around in the room, and I peek around the corner to find her rummaging through a box.

"I thought I told you to fuck off?" She hisses without looking at me.

"What's wrong?" Oh no, her head snaps around like a viper, her eyes burn holes in the very bottom of my soul.

"Seriously?" She scoffs.

"Bella are you angry at me?" Think before you speak Captain Obvious.

"No, I am unsurprised by you and angry at me"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you haven't changed a fucking bit, you are still a vain, nasty, spoilt, lying asshole. You actually had me thinking you were different, that you had changed or worse yet, that I was wrong about you the whole time. But I was right and I have never been gladder, that you and I didn't happen all those years ago."

"Is this because I didn't call you?" I ask even more confused. She lets out a scream that makes me flinch. She stands and marches toward me, fists clenched.

"If I wasn't afraid of breaking my hand I would punch you in the mouth right now." I take the offensive and grab her wrists and spin her, pinning her back to my chest.

"Can you calm down please and tell what in god's name you are talking about?" She struggles a little but realises that it is fruitless; I weigh a good 30 kgs more than her.

"How many girlfriends do you have Edward?" Her voice a little calmer now but the malice is still there.

"None." She shakes her head obviously unhappy with the answer.

"How many people are you sleeping with?" Her frustration is evident.

"Right now, none?"

"You are such a liar." She yells trying to turn and look at me.

"Well if that isn't the pot calling the fucking kettle black. You have done nothing but lie to me since you got here and you have the balls to accuse me of being a liar." My anger is taking over and I can't stop it. "I haven't fucking lied to you about anything, I was under the impression that we left on good terms on Sunday morning, I even seem to recall you sleeping on my shoulder, your arm wrapped..."

"I saw you with that blonde the other morning asshole." She screams, I immediately drop my hold of her.

"That was you?"

"Just admit you're a lying, cheating scumbag and get the fuck out of my house."

"Bella, that's not what you think."

"Don't insult my intelligence Edward. I saw you two sitting there, she was talking animatedly, touching you, giggling, kissing."

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise we were a couple? Are we married, engaged, dating...fucking?" As soon as the words came from my mouth I wanted them back. She slapped me right across the face, deservedly so.

"You're a cunt. I told you shit about my life that no one but Jasper knows about. I fucking trusted you." Tears are spilling down her cheeks, the look in her eyes cuts into me like a hot knife. I take a step toward her and wrap my arms around her; she beats her fists against me over and over. I let her hit me, lord knows I deserve it, eventually she stops.

"I hate you." She whispers with no conviction what so ever. I move us to the bed and sit on it pulling her into my lap, she doesn't resist, and she is like a rag doll in my arms.

"Bella, the girl I was with the other morning is Jess. I have been sleeping with Jess for a few months now, and yes Jess isn't the only one. There are others but I am in no way, shape or form in a relationship with them and they know that. And what's more is that I haven't slept with any of them since you arrived in town, nor have I had the desire to do so."

"Really?" Her voice small and husked.

"Yes, in fact after Jess kissed me I told her to never call me again and I did the same with the others later that day, I have even deleted them from my phone. I know that you don't like me and that compared to the Nic Cester's and the Caleb's of this world I have nothing to offer you but I deleted them anyway. They hold no interest for me anymore."

"Jasper told you?" She asks sitting back and looking up into my eyes.

"Yep, he told me all about your lives back in LA. I understand that I can't compete with True Love Way, I doubt anyone could but you can't tell me you didn't feel something the other night in the storage room?" She stares at me for some time, neither of us moving, just looking into each other's eyes, deciphering the truth.

"It's complicated."

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**AN: Thanks everyone for reading, greatly appreciated – please review let me know if you are loving or hating or undecided.**

**I may or may not currently be working on a new story that I may or may not have already written a few chapters for – I don't think that I will post it until I have written a few more chapters and maybe this one is squared away.**

**Jesigrl007 – sorry for the sort of cliffy again! How else would I keep you all around?**

**Ok so that's enough from me as mentioned earlier I have butt loads of work to do…**

**Cheers  
****Court**


	7. Ch 7 Wasted time

**AN: I million trillion sorry's. I know that I haven't updated in forever, life is taking up far too much of my time and I am not appreciating it. **

**Thanks to everyone who has read/added this story – sorry for making you wait so long**

**Edward'sbella17 - gotta love stalking – its def one of my favourite things to do!**

**Brandie722 – I don't normally take this long to update, please forgive me**

**Rocklesson86 – I made a cd last year called my top 10 and it had 28 songs on it**

**Lauren – i am the worst worst biggest liar ever – I went to the beach and left my laptop at home – epic fail. I printed your story out so that I can read it tomorrow though**

**Jess – as per always thank you so much you continue to amaze me!**

**That's enough from me!**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Twilight.**

* * *

**Ch 7 – Wasted time**

_Show your face  
Livin' in the shadows like you got no name  
Enough to make a little girly go insane  
Be my guest to let it out tonight  
It's ok  
I know all about the little games you play  
Shakin' your apple right in my face  
Only when you know that I'm beggin' fort a bite_

"What's so complicated?" I ask unable to hide my frustration

"This," she says motioning between out two bodies.

"What's so complicated about it?" My frustration is continuing to build.

"You just don't get it." She huffs.

"Well explain it to me then." She shuffles off my lap and sits opposite me, legs crossed.

"I'm afraid."

"Of me? Bella I told you that I would never hurt…"

"No, I know that you would never hurt me, that's not what I am afraid of." She pauses, taking a deep breath; I wait patiently for her to continue. "I am afraid that we will be great together at first but then I will get trapped in this dead end bum fuck town for the rest of my life, and that I will resent you and then end up leaving you and hurting you."

I don't even know what to say to that. I don't know whether to be offended. Is she offending me? The look on my face must have given away my confusion because she quickly continued.

"I don't belong here Edward, I never did. I never fit in with you, in your world. You were all counting down the days til homecoming or prom or formals, I was counting down the days until I could get away from this place. I have the city pulsating through my veins, that's where I belong, that's where I am most at home. I feel like an intruded, an alien here." I'm still not sure what exactly to say so instead I do what feels right.

I cup the side of her face, slowly inching forward to her, when she doesn't pull back; I close the distance between us pressing my lips firmly against hers. Her response shocks me, instantly she deepens the kiss, her hands grabbing my hair and pulling me into her. She pulls me so violently that I loose my centre of balance and end up falling on top of her.

Frantically we kiss, teeth clashing, tongues fighting, animalistic. She lets out a moan as I bite hard on her bottom lip, she wraps her legs around my waist pulling me further into her, I grind my length against her centre and she lets out another moan. She wriggles a little beneath me, the next thing I feel is her hand cupping my junk, this time I let out a moan. Within in seconds she undoes my jeans, pulling them down just enough to set me free.

She grabs me firmly in her hand pulling me towards her entrance; she has lifted her skirt and pulled aside her panties.

"Bella, wait!" I breathe into her mouth. "I want to do this right."

"Just fuck me Edward." As the words fell onto my lips she drove my hard dick straight into her, our groans flooding the room. I pause allowing her to adjust, I grab her face between my hands and kiss her, and I want her to know that I am not just fucking her. Clearly impatient she starts rocking into me, I groan into her mouth.

I start to rock back against her, slowly getting more and more forceful until the only sounds in the room are our breathing and the slapping of our skin as I drive into her.

"Edward..." She groans. I can feel her beginning to tighten, which is only assisting in my release. I move her legs putting the souls of her feet on my chest, I grab her hips and pound into her, she screams my name and her head falls back into the bed. She's so fucking sexy, she has a light sheen of sweat on her neck, fuck I wish we had of taken our clothes off.

She begins to get tighter and tighter, I know she is close and I am too, I maintain the pace and with one hand I find her clit and roll it between my fingers, with that she screams my name as she comes, her body tightens squeezing me to my own release.

I push her legs aside and collapse on top of her, both of us breathing heavily. We lay like that for some time, neither of us talking. Just breathing together.

"Stay the night." She whispers, I haven't heard her voice this soft and unsure since Emmett's party. I respond by kissing her quickly. I pull out of her to go and clean myself up.

"Fuck, Bella I didn't use a condom, fuck, fuck, fuck, I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking and I know that is no excuse but I…" A sweet giggle escaped her lips.

"Edward, relax its fine I'm on the pill. You're the first person I have been with like this so I'm ok, are you?" Suddenly she sits up slight panic in her eyes.

"Same for me, I have never been with anyone with out a condom before either." I smile at her kissing her forehead. "Bathroom?" She points down the hall way.

As I walk back into Bella's room I see that she is under the covers of the bed and from what I can see her shoulder is bare. She hears me coming and smiles so sweetly, she is so beautiful like this when she is soft and her guard is down. I remove my clothing and check that my alarm is set on my phone. The entire time I undress she never takes her eyes from me. I walk towards the bed, as I grab the corner of the blanket I can't help by feel the nerves in the pit of my stomach. I have wanted to see Bella Swan nude for well over 12 years now.

I take a deep breath and pull the blanket aside.

"You are so beautiful," I whisper as I hop into the bed beside her, part of me wants to ravage her, to lick ever millimetre of her skin, to watch her come over and over but I know that isn't what she wants right now. We both lay on our sides facing each other, I run my fingers up and down her arm tracing her tattoos. Her pink nipple hardens as my fingers run up along her collar bone.

"Edward?" She whispers, my fingers stop in their tracks and I look her in the eyes. "Were you really in love with me?" I can't help but smirk, one of the toughest, elusive, infamous rock stars in the world has resorted back to being a 17 year old girl.

"Yes, why can't you believe that?"

"Umm, because you are Edward Cullen and I am Bella Swan."

"Jesus, Bella you need to get over that, I always thought that you were the most beautiful, interesting person in the entire of Forks High and I know you had a massive crush on me so you can just admit it." I tease

"I thought you were a tool." she says all too seriously.

"A tool? Then why did you want to sleep with me at Em's?"

"90% of the time I thought you were a tool but then sometimes when we I were alone you were really cool, so I guess I had a crush on that part of you."

"You had a 10% crush on me?" I ask laughing

"Yep. I had a 15% crush on Emmett."

"What?"

"It was the Jeep." I almost blurt out words that I have never said to anyone other than my family before. Thankfully I catch them before they spew out and not only freak me out but have Bella running for the hills.

"Do you like me more than 10% now?" I ask playfully.

"Mmm, yeah about 57%."

"57 I can deal with that."

"Edward can I ask you something?"

"Course"

"Why are you here?"

"In Forks?"

"No in my bed."

"I thought you asked me to stay?" I sit up slightly so that I can see her better.

"No, I did, it's just I saw that girl the other day, she was so beautiful and she was clearly in love with you, so why are you here…with me?"

"Jesus Bella." I grab her face between my hands kissing her hard, and then I pull back and look right into her eyes. "For someone who is one of the coolest people in the entire world you really have no self-esteem. What I am about to say to you is probably going to freak you out but it is the only way to make you understand." I take a deep breath before continuing.

"Not only do I think that you are the most beautiful person on this entire planet but I feel drawn to you. The first time we kissed back in high school, I felt like…like you belonged to me, that you were mine. I felt the same thing a few nights ago in the storage room and I felt it again tonight. I can't explain this feeling and I know that I sound creepy and obsessed but that's how I feel." I am left feeling like a needy bitch. She is either going to agree with me or jump up out if the bed and run screaming down the street.

We lay in silence for an excruciating amount of time.

"You think that I belong to you?" She is curious, obviously not understanding what I am saying.

"Yeah, like we belong together." I clarify.

"Like _the _one?"

"Yeah I guess." She stares into my eyes, why is she so untrusting of me? I understand that she has been beyond hurt in the past but I have never done anything for her not o trust me. "Bella, please trust me. I won't lie to you and I won't hurt you."

"I know that Edward but it just isn't that easy for me." I kiss her tenderly on the lips.

"Bella, now that Charlie has passed why don't you step into the spotlight, take credit for everything that you have done?"

"I have thought about this a lot, Jasper and Dave and even Caleb have all asked me to come clean but I just don't want to." Jealousy instantly fills me; she is obviously still in contact with Sex on Fire boy. "Part of me likes the elusiveness and mysteriousness of it, it's like it makes me cooler or something. Another reason is that after what happened with Riley I want to remain anonymous, be a nobody."

"But you not a nobody Bella." I interrupt.

"I'm scared."

"Scared that what happened with Riley will happen again?"

"No that they won't like me." I don't even know what to say to her. I jump up standing above her on the bed throwing the blanket to the floor. She is lying before me, completely naked and exposed.

"Do you know what I see before me?" She shakes her head. "I see the hottest, sexiest thing I have ever seen. You have the most incredible hair, even as I dude I can appreciate you hair. Your eyes are piercing and smouldering."

'Edward stop," She begs.

"No, you will listen to what I have to say. You lips are so fucking hot that whenever I see you I want to bite them and lick them. Your skin is the colour of milk but it tastes like strawberries. You tits are fucking magnificent, so soft and your nipples..." A growl escapes my lips. I know that I am getting hard and that Bella can see it but I don't care, I want her to know how my body reacts to her.

"Your stomach is so flat and toned but still soft and feminine. You have the most perfect shaped legs. Your ass, oh god your ass, it's like an apple, seriously I want to fucking bite your ass. Even your god damn toes are sexy. Bella you don't see yourself clearly, you don't realise how incredibly sexy you are. If you admitted to being the Black Swan, boys would put your posters around their rooms and wank off to you."

She flushes a brilliant shade of red, yet there is a burning in her eyes. I grab the blanket lay back down besides her pulling it over us. She turns lying on her side to face me. I gently push a strand of hair behind her ear. I run my hand along her side until I reach the small of her back, I pull her body into my chest, as I roll onto my back and she nuzzles into the crook of my neck.

"I was wrong about you," her hot breath whispers against my neck.

"How so?" My fingers trace lazy circles in against her back.

"I didn't think you would be so sweet."

"You never gave me a chance."

"I didn't think you would be worth it."

"Am I worth it now?" She pauses for a while and I realise that our friendly banter has just turned slightly more serious.

"I'm still not 100% sure, however I am starting to think you might be."

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**AN: Please please review and let me know what you think.**

**This story I coming to an end but I have got another one in the pipe so you wont stop hearing from me.**

**Peace out **

**Court**

**xox**


	8. Ch 8 Fast Fuse

**AN: Ok so here is the deal this chapter has the biggest cliffy I have ever written but fear not, the next chapter is half done so in order to not leave you waiting in suspense for to long I will keep this AN short.**

**A huge massive thanks to everyone who reads and adds this as a fav or alert.**

**As always my faithful reviews, Lauren and Edward'sbella17 – I heart you long time.**

**Gothicangel082 – your review made me smile so much, thank you. I love love music and have loved writing this story – kinda wish I was Bella (my version) even though I possess absolutely no musical talent…none!**

**Jess – My amazing Beta, she still beta's for me even when she has so much shit going on in her real life – much much love.**

**Ok that's enough from me – enjoy!**

**Disclaimer – don't own Twilight.**

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**Ch 8 – Fast Fuse**

_Come get me  
Wicked fines won't arrest me  
I'm like Lucifer's child, wild, acid done  
Black sunglasses shade the morning sun_

Come get me  
All you fuckers can't touch me

I am awoken by something hard and cold pressed into my temple, I am vaguely aware of two voices in the room, as I slowly awake from my sleep I realise that one of those voices is Bella and she is screaming.

"No, no, please, please, please, please. Please leave him." I thrust my eyes open and try to sit up; I am immediately pushed back into the bed by whatever it is pressing into my head. My eyes find Bella, she is in the opposite corner of the room, terrified, her is skin is a ghostly white and her eyes are a big as dinner plates.

I twist my head, trying to see what exactly it is that she is terrified of; again the cold metal prevents me from turning any further so I look back at Bella.

"Bella, my sweet Bella, I knew you wanted me to find you, that's why you made it so easy for me. I mean waiting for me in the place that you grew up, so clever baby doll." His voice makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Suddenly I realise what is happening here. Riley has found her and he now has what I presume to be a gun pressed into my temple.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" I yell at the psycho, he responds by jabbing the gun further into my head.

"Shut the fuck up! I'm not fucking around I will kill you!"

"No, no, please Riley, please." Bella begs she launches herself at him trying to grab the gun; this throws him off balance momentarily, enough for me to be able to roll out from under the pistol. He lashes out and clips the side of my eye with the handle of the gun. A shooting pain runs across my brow and down my jaw bone.

"Riley. Listen to me, baby." Bella's voice is strong and commanding now, if she is still frightened she is no longer showing it. Riley keeps the gun aimed at me, his head quickly glances at her but then his eyes are straight back on me. His eyes are burning with a rage like I have never seen before. I crouch on the ground beside the bed, I look down at my feet and see Bella's handbag.

"Riley, if you hurt him, they will find you again and we won't be able to be together." This gets Riley's attention, his head whips around focussing on Bella, and I reach out quickly snatching the bag. As quietly as I can I remove her wallet and then with great relief I find what just might save our lives.

"So I was right, you have been here waiting for me. I love you Bella, we are meant for each other. The only thing I don't understand is what is _he _doing in our bed." My head shoots up; Riley is still looking at Bella but thrusting the gun in my direction.

"It was all an act baby." Even though I know the words are a lie, they still sting a little, Bella runs her hands up his chest. "I had to let people think that you and I were over, he is nothing to me Riley, killing him would be a mistake. He is connected to us, they would know in a second that it was us." The words make me want to vomit, but she has Riley's full attention, the gun isn't even trained on me anymore. I flick her phone to silent and then text Jasper and Emmett and Jake.

"I wouldn't kill him here silly Bella, we could take him out into the woods, no-one would ever find him." The floorboards squeak as he begins moving towards me. I haven't finished typing the message yet, I have about three more steps before he sees the phone in my hand. I can't risk looking down at the screen, I am just going to have to type and send it as it is, praying for my life that it makes sense.

"Riley, sweetheart." She sounds so genuine that it is actually frightening. "I want us to be together forever, please don't do anything that would jeopardise our time together." Riley pauses, his head turning to look at Bella. This gives me just enough time to push the phone away from me under the bed.

"Bella I could never do anything to prevent us being together. That's why I did what I did, I wanted us to be together for ever, in heaven. You understand that don't you baby?" Riley completely turns his back on me. Frantically I search around the room but can't find anything that will help me.

"Of course I do." Riley takes a few steps towards her.

"Let's get out of here, I'll bring him with me and decided what to do later."

"Baby, you need to let me pack, what should I take." Bella is clearly trying to stall him; I need to do the same.

"Bella, how could you do this to me? I love you." I yell from down on the floor, Riley's head snaps towards me like a viper.

"She never fucking loved you. She is mine, I own her. You are nothing! Do you understand that?" The venom in Riley's voice is an indicator of just how fucked up he is.

"Bella?" I feign hurt although it isn't that hard, if my plan doesn't work then I could be loosing Bella forever.

"He's right Edward. I love only Riley." Her voice is full of conviction but she can't hide the lie in her eyes

"Bella please?" I beg again. Riley is clearly getting irritated with me; he is shifting from side to side, his head looking back and forth between us.

"Stop talking to her!" He screams manically at me. "Bella you pack, I'll watch this tool bag." Bella nods at him sweetly and moves to the wardrobe, Riley rounds the end of the bed and sits on it in front of me. He is looking around for something; he reaches to the ground at the base of the bed and throws something at me. My pants. "Put those on, I'm sick of looking at your dick." Only then does it occur to me that I am naked. I scramble putting the pants on.

"Please don't hurt her." I plead with him, I need to distract him and keep him talking.

"Don't you fucking tell me what to do cunt." He spits. "You know nothing about us, about what we have, the love we share." His eyes are horrifying, somewhat like Jack Nicholson in The Shining however only more terrifying because he is sitting two feet away from me.

"See the thing is I made a big mistake last time." The change in his voice is incredible, he is talking to me now like we are friends, there is no malice in his voice anymore, he is now reminding me of Norman Bates, relatively attractive and polite but his eyes are still sinister. "I shouldn't have tried to make her an angel. Her job on this earth was unfinished, that is evident in the fact that she is still here."

My eyes dart to Bella, who is packing at a snails pace. Riley sees this and his head turns to see what she is doing.

"I'm nearly done babe, I just have to get my toiletries and then we can leave." She smiles lovingly as she places her clothes in a bag. I don't know how much more I can stall him.

"What is her job?" I ask trying to get Riley's attention back on me.

"What!" The malice is back.

"You said that Bella's job here isn't done."

"It's none of your fucking business." Shit I am loosing him.

"Please Riley, she has made her choice, she is yours, she was always yours, but I love her and just want to know that she is going to be happy." Immediately his body language softens.

"Her destiny is to bore my child. A son." As the words come from his mouth, bile rises in my own. I use all the strength I posses to stay blank. I remain silent for a moment, untrusting of myself to speak just yet.

"Would you not marry first?" It's the only thing I can think to say.

"Of course, we will do that as soon as we leave here. Although it really isn't necessary, she is bound to me tighter than any piece of paper can attest. Throughout our life times our souls have been intertwined, it's fate. You can't argue with that."

"I just want her to be happy and safe, Riley. Please promise me that?"

"Considering she has only been here about a week you seem to have a great deal of attachment to her." His voice is now soft and quizzical.

"I have known Bella for a very long time. We went to school together…"

"Wait a minute!" His body stiffens and his eyes squeeze together. "Did you play basketball?"

"Yes." I am not sure where he is going with this but I don't like it, he lifts the gun again pointing it at my chest.

"Is your name Cullen?" Before I have a change answer there is a large shattering sound from the bathroom, this startles Riley and his head snaps around in the direction of the sound.

Everything began moving in slow motion, everything except my mind that is. I knew this was my only chance. I tighten all the muscles in my body and spring off the floor at Riley.

"RUN!" I scream simultaneously at Bella.

Riley and I wrestle, Riley trying to push me off him to go after Bella, me trying to cling to Riley to stop him. I hear the front door slam hoping to god that either Bella is out or Emmett, Jasper and Jake are in. I don't hear any other noises so I assume Bella is out. Riley leans forward, his head connecting firmly with the bridge of my nose. My eyes go in and out of focus and I can feel the blood pouring into my mouth, but I don't care, I have only one focus.

I lift one of my elbows high and then bring it down into his face with as much force as I can in this strange tangled position. He grunts as my elbow drives into his face…

BANG!

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**AN: Ok I know sorry, but I will seriously have the next chapter up asap.**

**Please review let me know what if you think – even if you hate the fact that I have left it like this. (insert evil laugh here)**

**Also very interested to know what you think has happened.**

**Peace out I have to get back to writing this chapter so you don't all burn my house down. **

**Cheers  
****Court**


	9. Ch 9 Little Lies

**AN: That wait wasn't too painful was it? Thanks to everyone for reading and adding!**

**Tazzded & gothicangel082 – I'm sorry to do that but take solace in the fact that it is for you that I have pumped this out so quickly.**

**Teri – I don't like you, I love you! P.S How annoyed are you that the last two days have been awesome weather and then the weekend is going to be fully shit! Melbourne – gotta love it!**

**Is there a Beta awards? I mean not the Black Entertainment Television Awards, if there is then Jess needs a nomination. 45 minutes…I'm not even kidding 45 minutes between me sending this chapter to her and her sending it back and to make it even more impressive there is 11hours time difference between us! **

**Ok enough from me, I know you're all dying to get to this chapter – although…just kidding! Or am I hahah.**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Twilight! **

* * *

**Ch 9 – Little Lies**

_If I could turn the page  
In time then I'd rearrange just a day or two  
Close my, close my, close my eyes_

But I couldn't find a way  
So I'll settle for one day to believe in you  
Tell me, tell me, tell me lies

I awoke with the feeling of cotton wool in my mouth; did I get royally smashed last night? I think back to last night and realise that I have absolutely no recollection of anything. I must have gotten completely shitfaced, I never don't remember anything at all, usually I have snapshot style memories of taking shots, dancing and various different chicks but nothing. Blank.

"You do know that he can hear you right?" Ah Rosalie gotta love that stubborn bitch.

"No he can't that's only in the movies," Classic Emmett.

"Yes he can!"

"No he can't!"

"Can"

"Can't"

"Yes I can." I interrupt the squabbling.

"Edward!" The room erupts with a chorus of my name. Why won't my eyes open?

"You can hear us?" Alice asks stupidly.

"Of course I can fucking hear you; you are having a conversation above my bed. What the fuck is going on, why are you in my goddamn bedroom? What time is it?" Someone bursts into tears, I am assuming Alice, Rose doesn't cry. Could be Emmett.

I try to lift my arms but they are as heavy as lead. Man what the fuck_ did_ I do last night? I force my eyes to open but as soon as they do I immediately regret it. The light is so bright that it pierces through into my brain.

"Can someone please answer my questions? Why are you all in my bedroom, what happened?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Jake asks.

"They said that might happen." Rose clarifies.

"Who said what might happen?" I am getting frustrated now, I try to open my eyes again, but it is still too bright. "Can someone turn off the lights please?" I snap

"Sure man, do you want anything else?" Jake offers, as I hear the click of the switch, I try to open my eyes again, this time I have success.

"Oh my fucking god, I am in hospital!" I look around the room, Alice is a mess she has obviously been crying a lot, Emmett has also been crying. Rose and Jake look exhausted. And then there is the beeping. I can't believe I didn't notice it before; it's all I can hear now.

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

"Turn that fucking beeping off!" I scream.

"Edward we can't it is attached to you." Alice says gently, taking my hand in hers.

"I'll go call Esme and Carlisle and tell them that Edward is awake." Rose says to Emmett and then leaves the room. I lift the sheet looking down at my body, maybe that will give me clues as to what I am doing here. A gasp as I discover that my torso is wrapped in a bandage, I run my fingers over it but it is completely numb.

"What happened to me?" I whisper.

"We are just going to speak to the doctor, see if you can eat or drink anything, then we will be back to tell you everything. Come on Al." Jacob takes Alice's hand and puts his arm around Emmett and the three of them leave the room.

I close my eyes and try to remember anything at all. I remember our game against La Push College, I remember helping Em out at the bar because Rose was feeling unwell again and…and…and that is it. Fuck!

All four of them walk back into my room; Alice hops into bed beside me, tears still streaming down her face. Rose kisses my forehead and then sits in the chair beside me. Jake sits on the foot of the bed, and Emmett stands solemnly at the foot of the bed, staring at the ground. I start by telling them what I actually remember.

"I don't know exactly how to say this Edward, please don't freak out. The La Push game was 5 weeks ago." Jake says

"I have been in here for 5 weeks?"

"No, no, you have been here for 6 days now. The reason you are here is because you were shot Edward."

"What? Someone shot me?" I am in complete disbelief; this is Forks not fucking Compton.

"Yes." _Ok details please._

"Why? Where?" Alice buries her head into my shoulder, Emmett still refuses to look at me and Jake and Rose exchange a look that I can't read.

"You were working at the bar for Emmett, you were closing up when someone came in to rob it, you tried to stop them, got into a fight and they shot you in the chest." Jake recounts.

"Fuck, Em I am so sorry. Did they take much?" Emmett won't answer me instead he just shakes his head a tear running down his face.

"No you held them off long enough for the police to arrive." Rose elaborates

"So they arrested them?"

"Yes, he has been arrested." Jake confirms

"His name was Riley he was from LA"

"Alice!" Rose and Jake scold.

"What, _I _think he has the right to know the truth." She defends

"Yes and he will but not all at once, it is a lot for him to take in" Rose says.

"Will I get my memory back?"

"Yes they think that you will, you lost a lot of blood and were unconscious for quite a while, but they don't think there is any permanent damage. You are very lucky, the bullet missed everything." Rose continues.

"I thought you were dead," Alice whispers to me. "When I saw you in that apartment, I thought you were dead."

"Apartment?"

"I meant hospital room. Anyway Esme and Carlisle are on their way over."

"They are back?"

"Of course they are, you were shot." Alice justifies. My parents live in Alaska now, they moved from Forks just after I finished school. I live in their old place, well technically it is mine now. Alice lives there with me.

"So tell me what has been happening in the last weeks then?"

"I met a guy. You would really like him Edward, he is amazing." Alice gushes.

"I have found an acupuncturist in Seattle that specialises in fertility, I have booked in to see her next week." Rose announces.

"Rose that's awesome. I have heard good things about acupuncture."

"Yeah well fingers crossed."

"Jake, what's new with you?"

"Nothing man, same old, same old. Just helping out at the bar, getting your sloppy seconds. Speaking of I think that you should know that a couple of days ago you told all your ladies that their services are umm, no longer required."

"What? Why would I have done that?" The room is eerily silent, Rose and Jake share that look again, and Emmett hasn't removed his eyes from the ground this entire time.

"We aren't really sure." Rose finally answers. "Perhaps you realised that you'd had enough of those moles." I laugh which is a big mistake as it really hurts my chest. I grab the bed sheets to brace against the pain; it's then that I notice the calluses on my hands.

"Have I been playing the drums again?"

"Yeah lately you have." Rose quickly answers, I wonder what made me decided to start that up again, I haven't played for ages.

"Am I allowed to eat or drink, I am really thirsty?"

"Not sure." Jake answers.

"I thought you went to find the doctor before."

"Oh, umm yeah, we couldn't actually find one."

"I'm sure that Carlisle will be able to tell me." Carlisle, my father, is a very successful doctor, he got a role as Chief of Staff at a really great hospital in Alaska, hence the move.

"Oh my lord, Edward!" Right on cue my parents burst into the room. Esme runs to the bed and grabs my head, raining kisses down my face.

"Hi Mum, Dad," I whisper.

"How are you feeling son?" Carlisle asks picking up my charts and reading over them.

"I bit sore, really thirsty and I can't remember the last few weeks." Esme burst into tears and Emmett moves and grabs a hold of her, pulling her into his chest. All my friends get along really well with my parents; we often holiday at their house particularly in winter. They have always been like parents to Emmett though; whose own parents are dropkicks.

"I'll quickly do your observations but I can't see why you couldn't have some water." Rose stands making room for Carlisle, he looks over me then removes the bandage and looks at the wound, I look down and see a big open wound, I can't help but gasp, it is like something you see in horror movies. Carlisle props me up and has a look at my back, judging by Alice's reaction I'd say the back is even worse.

I close my eyes, wincing against the pain as Carlisle straps me back up. Suddenly the image of tattoos floods my mind.

"The wound is clean, they have done a good job clearing it out, and you will have a couple of nice scars though."

"Tattoos," I blurt out. "I remember tattoos." Alice gasps again. "Did the Riley guy have tattoos?"

"Don't know." Rose answers quickly.

"Edward how's the pain?" Carlisle asks while inspecting my IV.

"I was ok before but it's worse now."

"I might give you another dose of morphine." I have had morphine a few times before and have always really enjoyed it. Carlisle does whatever it is people do with IV's and I can begin to feel the drug coursing through my body, it is cold and tingly. I drift off into a psychedelic dream world.

I awake again in enormous pain; a doctor is standing above me and doing something to my chest that feels like it is being torn apart by burning hot pliers.

"More morphine." I beg the doctor, I am vaguely aware that everyone is still here but it is hard to concentrate on anything other than the searing pain in my chest. I feel the morphine begin to travel through my veins and slowly the pain subsides. I open my eyes and look around the room again.

I am sure that I see Jasper Hale standing holding onto Alice. I rub at my eyes and look again.

"Jasper?" I slur.

"Yeah man, how you feeling?" There is a remorse in his eyes that is unmistakable. I don't have a chance to answer before I am dragged back into the realm of drug induced slumber.

I awake naturally to find that the room is dark and empty, I momentarily forget where I am until I move my arm and the IV pulls at my skin. I am wide awake now; I look around the room and notice that there is a TV. I flick it on to get the late night local news, the headline reads 'Shooting in Sleepy Forks,' the reporter is standing outside Forks Police Station.

_Good Evening, I am Cindy Rosenbrock, reporting live outside the Forks Police Station where today 28 year old Riley Victoria was charged with shooting local sports star Edward Cullen. More details of this shocking crime are being revealed. We have just been informed that Riley was on the run from the LAPD when he arrived in Forks; it is still unclear what exactly his charges were in LA and police will not release any further details on the matter. _

A shot of an apartment with my car parked outside appears on screen, I know of the apartment but am unsure why my car would be parked there.

_This is the scene of the shooting. _What? I thought I was shot at the bar. _Initial reports of why Cullen was at this particular apartment were unclear, however today we discovered that the apartment was leased out to an old high school friend turned musician Jasper Hale and his girlfriend also former Forks High student Isabella Swan._

_We will bring you more details on this bizarre shooting that rocked the sleepy town of Forks as we receive them._

_Cindy Rosenbrock, Channel 8 News. _

* * *

**AN: Oh no I did it again (evil laugh) at least this cliffhanger isn't as big. And I have nothing planned this weekend which will hopefully mean I can write a few chapters,**

**Please review let me know what you think? I know that some of you are going to have something to say about Mr. Jacob and Miss Rosalie's actions in this chapter – vent feel free, I'm not particularly happy with them at the moment either! And you all know how much I love me some Jacob Black. **

**Ok that's enough from me – thanks to everyone who reads my little stories, I seriously do heart you.**

**Take is sleazy  
****Court  
****xox**


	10. Ch 10 Away from the sun

****

AN: Thanks to all those for reading and adding

**Big ups to Teri – who as always is reviewing her butt off.**

**To the best beta in the world – Jess much love**

**I am flat out at work but I want to get this up so that I don't keep you all waiting too long and then you hate me and refuse to read me stuff anymore.**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Twilight. **

* * *

**Ch 10 – Away from the sun**

_It's down to this  
I've got to make this life make sense  
Can anyone tell what I've done  
I miss the life  
I miss the colours of the world  
Can anyone tell where I am_

I sat staring at the screen; the story seemed so familiar yet so foreign. Why was Bella here? Where is she now? Why was Jasper holding Alice if he and Bella are a couple? How did I get involved in this? Who is Riley? My head is actually aching from all the questions pleading for answers. I glance at the clock; it is 12:30pm. Everyone is probably in bed asleep.

Everyone except Jasper that is.

Through the window in the door I can see Jasper pacing outside my room. I lay and listen, he is talking to someone but I don't hear any other voices so I assume that he is on the phone.

"He's fucking lost his memory." He says in frustration. "He doesn't remember anything, he didn't know why I was in Forks…no I'm fucking being serous…they don't think it will last he _will_ get his memory back one day and then what…you need to come back…at least tell me where you are…I understand that but I love you and you should be here…ok fine, I'll call you in the morning."

As Jasper hangs up he looks in the window and realises that I am awake, I wave motioning for him to come in.

"Shit, sorry man did I wake you?"

"Nah I have been awake for a while. Was that Bella on the phone?" His eyes widen.

"Yeah." He replies hesitantly

"Where is she?"

"I'm not sure, she won't tell me."

"Why not?"

"Mmm, she has her reasons."

"Jasper what is going on here? I know that people are lying to me and not telling me the truth, I just can't figure out why."

"I'm sorry Edward; I promised them that I wouldn't say anything."

"Fuck that Jasper." I yell, the morphine is making me feel drowsy and makes my yelling sound a little slurred. "I am going to find out sooner or later, either my memory will come back or someone will tell me the truth, and don't you think that I will be royally pissed when I find out that everyone did lie to me."

"They have their reasons man, they are just protecting you."

"Protecting me from what?"

"The truth I guess."

"Is it really that fucked up? I mean from what I can gather I was at Bella and your apartment and that's where I was shot…"

"How?"

"The news." Jasper looks over at the TV that is still on just with the sound off and nods.

"There are few things I can't figure out. 1, why I was at your place? 2, who is this Riley? 3, if you're with Bella then why were you comforting Alice? 4, how long you have been in Forks and lastly, why did Bella leave?" Jasper looks at me, and I can tell that he is conflicted, he wants to tell me the truth but for whatever reason he can't.

"Edward please don't put me in this position, personally I don't agree with their decision to keep this from you but I made a promise and I need to honour that."

The searing pain in my chest returns, I reach for the administrator and release another hit of morphine, the pain subsides again as the drug flows through my body. I can feel myself starting to nod off again.

"I'm going to go to sleep now." I announce.

"I'll be here when you wake up." Jasper promises, as I drift off to sleep the tattoo's float through my mind again.

_My fingers trace along the branches of the cherry blossom tree taking me up to the side of her bra, her red lace bra that I hadn't paid much attention to before. As my fingers run along the side of her breast, down along her rib her skin becomes covered in goose bumps. _

_I move to her back looking at the dragon, I run my fingers from bottom to top; it is then that for the first time I notice tiny little stars along her hair line just behind her left ear. As my fingers touch each of the stars a shiver runs down Bella's back and if I was hard already I am rock hard now._

_I gently spin her again, my fingers trail from behind her ear along her jaw bone to her lips, I desperately want to touch her lips, the memory of what it felt like kissing her all those years ago suddenly fills my senses and before I can stop myself, I am pressing my lips against hers. My initial thought is to break the kiss but I can't, I can't move at all. At this moment Bella is unresponsive, her lips still and unmoving, _

I trust awake from the dream, my eyes take a while to adjust to the light and brain even longer to regain consciousness. I look around the room and find Jasper staring at me bright eyed from the couch.

"Jasper, does Bella have lots of tattoos now?" He looks at me perplexed for a moment and then rubs his eyes with his palms.

"Yeah."

"And has she been to Emmett's bar since you have been here?"

"Yeah she was working there."

"Fuck, I think I remembered something. I am so, so sorry man, I don't know why I did what I did but I am sorry." I apologise profusely, maybe that's why she ran away, and maybe I was at their place, I was apologising for kissing her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what exactly are you sorry for, and what do you remember?" I take a deep breath and prepare to admit to a crime that I am not even 100% certain that I committed.

"I kissed Bella, in the storage room at the bar." Jasper bursts out laughing, if this is like some adverse reaction to anger then he has some serious issues, on second thought I would probably prefer that he laughs at me than smothers me with a pillow. "She didn't kiss me back though." I add, which is met with the sound of more laughter.

"She definitely kissed you back." He says in between laughter.

"What? Why are you laughing at that?"

"Because the news was wrong, Bella and I aren't together." I sit there staring at him for a moment.

"So that's why you were comforting Alice and you also must be the new guy she was referring to and oh." Suddenly it dawns on me why I was at Bella's house. As if opening a flood gate everything comes back to me. Bella arriving in Forks, working at the bar, the storeroom, the band, her story, the fight, the sex and then…Riley.

"I remember everything Jazz. I need to speak to Bella, now!" I start to get anxious, why isn't she here with me? Why would she leave me in the hospital.

"I don't think that is such a good idea, not yet man."

"Why not?"

"Edward!" Alice, Rose, Jake and Emmett all come streaming into the room.

"So tell me again what happened, why I am in hospital with a bullet wound in my chest?" I ask the group as they take various seats around the room.

"You were at the bar…" Rose started but I cut her off before more bullshit spewed from her mouth.

"That's fucking bullshit. I remember everything! Why the fuck would you lie to me?" Alice bursts into tears and Emmett again won't make eye contact with me.

"We were trying to protect you." Jake clarified.

"From what exactly, is there a nicer way to be shot, is being shot in a bar by a random assailant less painful than being shot trying to protect someone?"

"No Edward, that's not what we were protecting you from."

"Then what is it Alice, what?" I didn't mean to scream at her but I couldn't help it, I am surprised that Jasper didn't push the morphine button and send me off to sleep to stop me from screaming at the people who love me most in this world.

"Because she left you Edward." Alice forces the words out through strangled cries. Her words while whispered, hit me like a tonne of bricks falling on my chest. The realisation of what is really going on here washes over me. She doesn't want to be here she told me that the other night and now she got her chance, I couldn't have stopped her, hell I didn't even remember her.

"Edward, we didn't want to hurt you. We love and adore you and she is just not worth your time, you save her life and this is how she repays you." The venom in Rose's voice makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Jasper shifts his weight awkwardly beside me.

"Can you guys please leave? I want to be on my own for a while." They all look around the room at each other before Jake begins moving everyone towards to the door. Emmett ignores Jake and walks toward me.

"I am so sorry, I never agreed to this." He whispers in my ear before joining the others and leaving.

I know they are all just going to wait outside in the hall but I don't care, I grab the morphine button and give it another press, slipping off in a pain free sleep.

I awake in the middle of the night, beside my bed I see Jaspers cell phone, and I reach over and dial her number without a second thought.

"Oh my god! Jasper, is he ok? What's happened?" Her voice is panic stricken.

"Come home Bella." It's all I can think to say because it's all that I really want.

"Edward?"

"Just come home." My voice is rather tired and stretched.

"I'm sorry Edward, I just can't." I can hear tears in her voice before she hangs up the phone.

I put the phone back on the side table and press the morphine button again.

* * *

"He has a problem Uncle Carlisle, for the last two days he has been waking up pressing the morphine and then going straight back into a drug induced sleep. It's just not healthy." Alice whispers

"Esme and I have been concerned for the last few days to be honest." Carlisle admits, I decided to pretend to keep sleeping and listen.

"You see dear, when Rosie told us the story we were frightened that Edward would behave like this, hence the reason we have extended our stay here." Esme says whilst running her hand through my hair.

"I think we just need to let him deal with in his own way." Emmett's voice even in a whisper is loud and fills the room.

"This isn't dealing with it though." Alice counters.

"Just because it isn't the way _you _would deal with it doesn't make wrong." Emmett hits back.

"He is going to develop a dependency on morphine Em, it is dangerous." I can just picture Alice with her and on her hip and her finger pointing in his face.

"He is in a hospital Alice, I'm sure they monitor things like that, and besides in case you hadn't noticed his morphine has been empty for the last 8 hours." Damn it!

"What?"

"He hasn't been getting a morphine hit for 8 hours Alice; he is just sleeping…naturally. He did just get shot remember." Emmett is getting a little angry now; I bet the vein on the side of his head is starting to pulsate.

"Of course I remember!" I will myself back to sleep but with all the sleep I have been having lately I am wide awake.

"Is Jasper here?" My voice is very groggy and my throat is as dry as sandpaper.

"Sweetheart, you're awake." My mother gushes, I force my eyes opens for the first time is days, and I notice that it is night time, perfect!

"I really want to speak to Jasper; you guys should go home and get some rest"

"But Ed…"

"I'm ok, I'm in a hospital nothing can happen to me."

"I'll wait with you until Jasper get's here." Emmett says, his face is so hopeful that I can't bare to say no to him. Alice leaves with my parents after they all kiss me goodbye.

"Thanks for sticking up for me before." I say to Emmett as he takes a seat beside my bed.

"You heard that?" I just nod my response. "Edward, I wanted to be upfront with you. I didn't want to lie to you." I want to ask him why he didn't, we have been best friends for ever, he should have stepped up but instead I bite my tongue.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I ask.

"We all got your texts, we were at the bar together so we jumped in the car and headed there, Jasper called the police while we were on our way. As we arrived at the front door we heard the shot. I don't know how to explain to you the panic that went through us. We didn't know what was happening on the other side of the door but what we found was far worse than what I had imagined."

"We burst through the locked door, Jake lunged at the dude knocking the gun from his hand, I then jumped on top of him and restrained him and that's when the screaming started. It wasn't like a girly scream; it was a gut wrenching heartbreaking scream. Jake and I turned to find Bella covered in blood, I assumed it was her blood so I jumped up leave Jake with Riley. It was then that I saw you. Honestly man, I thought you were dead, Bella ran and grabbed towels and tried to wrap up your wound, you were completely unconscious."

"She eventually stopped screaming but then the she just kept saying she was sorry over and over and over again, it was like she was possessed. The police and the paramedics arrived and I expected them to pronounce you dead. It was the single worst moment of my life. Bella rode with you to the hospital, she wouldn't let go of you, just kept crying and apologising. She waited, covered in your blood during the operation. She refused to have a shower or get changed."

"The surgeon eventually returned after 8 hours and announced that you were going to be fine but that you would more than likely have some short term memory loss, Bella said she was going outside for some fresh air and that was the last time I saw her.'

"Do you know where she is?"

"I don't, but I think Jasper went to see her yesterday."

"So she obviously isn't that far away." I think out loud.

"To be honest, I originally thought that she was hiding out in La Push."

"What, with Billy?"

"Yeah, but then I remembered something…" He pauses and I know that he is regretting telling me any of this but there is no way I am letting him stop there.

"Remembered what? What? Emmett come on man you have tell me!" I plead.

"A few weeks after Chief Swan died, Mr. Newton, his lawyer came into the bar and was telling me how the Chief had left his house to Bella but that Mr. Newton couldn't get a hold of Bella so he didn't know what to do with the house."

"You mean Bella still owns the Chief's house?"

"I think so, last I heard anyway, but that was months ago now Edward."

"She has to be there." I say more to myself than to Emmett. "Let's go!"

"Dude no way, you are in hospital besides…"

"Besides what?" I snap

"She is obviously hiding for a reason." He regretted saying it as much as I regretted hearing it.

"Em, I need to speak to her so I am going to do this with or without your help, and I need to go before Jasper gets here otherwise he will give her the heads up." Emmett stands and begins taking out the IV.

"Dude you know I love this shit, as if I could say no." I am glad to see that Emmett is behaving more like himself; the morose Emmett was bringing me down. "Besides Carlisle said that you could go home whenever you felt like it and you seem to feel like leaving right now, so who I am to stop you?"

* * *

**AN: Please review – Jess (beta-extraordinaire) had some pretty strong feelings during this chapter she may have even used the word hate! Did any of you feel the same?**

**This story is on the Twilight of it's life, at this stage there will only be one chapter left and maybe an epilogue but I am undecided about that. For those of you who read my other stories you will know that I have issues with epilogues, I don't want it to be the clique wedding or proposal epilogue. **

**Anyway that's enough from me**

**Love you all  
****Court  
****xox**


	11. Ch 11 Buttons

**AN: Ok guys this is it, last chapter, well except for the epilogue that I have already half written woo hoo. **

**I have started another story and my beautiful Beta Jess has her corrector pen all over it (I don't actually think that she prints it out but you get my drift)**

**Big enormous thanks to everyone for reading and adding as alert or favourite.**

**Jordan – your review gave me goosebumps! You have no idea how happy it made me that my writing had that affect on you!  
****Miscellaneous reviewer – thank you for your review! I heart me some Emmett and Kellan and for me they are the same person – In my mind Kellan rides around LA standing in the back of a Jeep.  
****Teri – I heart you long time  
****Gothicangel082 – I am so sorry, but if at the end you still have questions please msg me and I will answer them all for you…hopefully I can wrap it up well enough that you don't.  
****Babybear08 – thank you.**

**Ok everyone I have super exciting news, my first story Betting on Love is going to be translated into Spanish…I'm going bilingual – well I'm not because the only Spanish I know is dios mio and muchos gracias and por favor which clearly isn't enough to translate an entire story. **

**As always I couldn't have done this without Jess, well I could but it would be crap and I certainly wouldn't have any punctuation at the end of my sentences! I heart you!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight but in a week I am going to own me some Eclipse on dvd! Can't effing wait I am going to watch it 16 times in a row. And I am going to pause it when Jasper is all alive and tanned and riding a horse – Jess my Beta must love that part – she loves horses.**

**Ok enough from me here it is.**

* * *

**Ch 11 – Buttons**

_Yes I see you open wounds in everyone I've dated  
Away from me lover, get away from me lover_

I am no good for you  
I'm seeing ghosts in everything I do  
I am no good for you  
I'm seeing ghosts in everything I do

"Dude, stop creeping around." I

"But she will see us." Emmett whispers still crouched behind a bush.

"Yeah well she is going to see me when I knock on the front door."

"You're just going to go straight up the front door?" He asks with the same disbelief if I had just said that I am thinking of getting a sex change and being a Britney Spears impersonator.

"Of course, after what has just happened do you really think it would be a good idea to break into her house and scare her."

"I guess you're right, I'll go wait in the car." Emmett stands from behind the plant and walks back to the car leaving me in the Chiefs front yard alone…again.

_I don't even know what I am doing here. She obviously doesn't like me, she didn't turn up. I just can't leave it like this, I have to at least say goodbye to her. I walk up to the Chiefs door with my heart in my throat. I can see the light from the TV so I know that someone is home. I climb the stairs and take a deep breath. I want to knock hard and purposefully but instead it sounds terrified and desperate…just like me._

"_Hi there Edward," The Chief says surprised as he opens the door to see me standing there fidgeting nervously._

"_Hi Chief Swan, I was wondering if umm Bella is home."_

"_I'm sorry she left a few hours ago."_

"_Do you know where?" The Chief eyes me suspiciously._

"_I'm not sure exactly, her and Jasper have decided to take off on a road trip before they start college."_

"_Oh, I see." My heart falls from my throat down to the floor._

"_Did you want me to pass on a message or anything?" _

"_No thanks, Chief Swan. Sorry to bother you, good night." I turn and walk back down the stairs and the path; I can feel his eyes on me until I make it back to my car. Oh well I guess that's it, Bella Swan has walked out of my life…forever._

I can't help but have the same feelings I had all those years ago, they feel so vivid that if I was to look in the mirror I would expect to see a 17 year old staring back at me. I take the last few steps and wrap my hand around the doorknob. I can feel that it is unlocked and could easily just walk straight in, but instead I knock.

No answer.

I knock again.

Still no answer.

"Bella, please let me in, I just want to talk to you!" I yell through the door.

Still no answer. I take the risk and open the door, the house is completely silent.

I have never been inside the Swan house before but it looks exactly as I'd imagined it to. The Chief is everywhere and the only trace of Bella's life here is the photos that cover the mantel piece, the house is very manly from the curtains to the couch, it has middle aged single man written all over it.

In the kitchen there are dishes in the sink indicating that someone has definitely been staying here, I search the ground floor nothing, I ascend the stairs. There are three bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor, there is a toothbrush and a few toiletries on the vanity in the bathroom. The first bedroom I enter is the Chiefs old room, his uniform is still hung in the closet and the bed is perfectly made.

The next bedroom is set up as a study with an ancient computer in it that Bella must have used when she was at school. Finally I find Bella's bedroom. It has been left exactly as she left it when she walked away from Forks all those years ago. The walls are painted a deep purple, I would call it bruise purple, posters of her favourite bands litter the walls. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Guns 'n' Roses, ACDC, Pink Floyd, Kurt, Steve Tyler, it is like stepping back into our childhoods.

The covers which are the print of the Abbey Road album are messed up which would indicate that someone has slept in here recently. I walk back down the stairs and go outside to where Emmett is waiting impatiently by the car.

"She isn't home." I say shoulders slumped as I approach him.

"Crap, what are going to do now?"

"I'm going to wait."

"What? Edward I don't want to be a George Banks and poop on your party but you did just get shot, I think that perhaps you should take it easy, go back home and let Doctor Dad take care of you."

"No, I am going to wait here, the house is open I will just watch TV or something til she comes back. If she isn't back by tomorrow morning I'll go home." Emmett's eyes go from me to the house to me to the house.

"Ok." He huffs knowing that I am too stubborn to bother arguing with. "Call me if you're in pain or anything."

"Will do." Emmett walks around to the driver's door of the car, leaving me alone in the yard. "Hey Em!" He stops and looks back at me. "Thanks."

"Anytime man." I watch as Emmett drives off, leaving me completely alone now, I walk back into the house and immediately go back up stairs to Bella's room. I can't stop myself from going through her desk draws. The draws are full of high school memorabilia, yearbooks, assignments, pictures. I look through the pictures; they are practically all of her and Jasper.

Jasper and her lying in the back of her truck.

Jasper and her sitting up in a tree.

Her having a smoke beneath the no smoking sign at school

Jasper playing guitar down the beach.

It's just the two of them and they both seem really happy. I search through to the bottom of the drawer and find a box. It is a wooden box with a wolf carved into the lid, I open the box and in it is a photo and a card.

It is a birthday card that reads:

_Bells,_

_Happy 12__th__ Birthday_

_I made this for you; it is a box to keep your jewellery in._

_Lots of love_

_Jakey_

_Xox_

Jake said that they were close as kids but I didn't realise they were this close. The photo is a picture of Bella and Jake sitting on the top of a cliff, it is night time and above them is a bright full moon. Bella is resting her head on Jakes neck and Jake is kissing her forehead. They would have to be at least 16 or so. There is also writing on the back of the photo.

_Bells,_

_I love this photo of us, Emily took it, and I thought that you should have it. _

_You can put it in the box I gave you for your birthday._

_Jake_

I can't help but feel jealous and furious and I want to punch him in the fucking mouth. I guess Jake didn't fully explain the gravity of their relationship. Fuming, I put the box back in the drawer; I can't stay in this room anymore. I walk downstairs and lay on the couch, from this position I can see the road and the driveway. I will just lay here and wait.

"Dude, what are you doing here! Everyone is looking for you!" I am awoken by Jake gently rocking my shoulder. "Is Emmett here with you?" I blink a couple of times and rub my eyes.

"What time is it?" I ask looking out the window at broad daylight.

"9am, where is Emmett?" Jake is starting get a little frustrated.

"I don't know I haven't seen him for ages." I smile knowing that Em is a terrible liar so instead of having to lie he has just disappeared…classic. "Hey wait, how did you know I was here? You knew that Bella was staying here all this time and you didn't tell me!"

"No, I didn't _know _she was staying here but I had a feeling that she would be. Then when you went missing I figured that you would try to find her so I came here and sure enough here you are, breaking and entering and squatting on her couch."

"Hey I didn't see you getting invited in."

"Touché." Jake sits in the arm chair and I sit up so that I can ask him a few things that have been playing on my mind. I wince at the pain as I position myself in the couch; I have absolutely no strength in the right side of my torso.

"So Jakey, did you twiddle that wolf box with your own bare hands?" I can't hide the displeasure in my voice.

"The what?"

"Don't pretend like you don't remember, you made Bella a box for her 12th birthday."

"Seriously dude? That was 17 fucking years ago."

"What about the photo of the two of you that Emily took?"

"I already told you what happened that summer."

"You seem pretty in love."

"Fuck Edward, we were 16 of course we thought we loved each other, I am going to excuse this fucking psychotic behaviour by putting it down to all the drugs messing with the chemical levels in your brain."

"So you don't still love her?"

"IT WAS 12 FUCKING YEARS AGO!" Jake yells at me while standing and going into the kitchen. He returns with two glasses of water. "Dude, what the fuck is going on with you?"

"I don't know man." That is a lie and Jake knows it. "Ok, I guess that I am struggling to believe that she doesn't want me. I know this is going to sound conceited but I am Edward Cullen, I have never met anyone that hasn't wanted me. I feel this great connection with her and I just can't believe that she doesn't. That's why I need to talk to her; I need to know why I'm not good enough for her."

Jake and I sit in silence for a while; see this is one of the great things about Jake, if he doesn't have anything to say he doesn't waffle out some fake bullshit just for the sake of it.

"She will be back soon; she had to go to Port Angeles to make an official statement to the detectives there." Jake says as he stands. "I'll tell your family that I found you and that you are fine and to leave you alone."

"Thanks man." Jake stands and we bump fists before he leaves me. I hadn't even thought about the fact that I would have to make a statement and possibly give evidence. Perhaps I'll go down to the police station tomorrow.

I flick the TV on and watch some cheesy hallmark movie, I lie back down on the couch and prepare to go back to sleep.

I am awoken by the sound of crying, the crying isn't close to me but in such a small house the sound travels easily. I stand and follow the sobbing up the stairs and into her bedroom, I gently push the door open and find Bella sitting on her bed, her legs clutched to her chest and face buried into her knees.

"Please go home Edward." Her voice is strained and broken.

"No." I stand my ground in the doorway, fists clenched in defiance.

"Edward please, you're only making this harder."

"Harder! Harder! Harder for who Bella? I fucking woke up in a hospital bed with a bullet through my chest, without you! So tell me Bella, how could it get any harder than that? You fucking ran away when I was unconscious, you just left no second thought about me. I don't ever know why you're still in Forks at all!"

"Please leave." She whispers, I had expected her to scream and maybe even hit me, but instead she remains curled in ball, tiny and fragile.

"No, I want to hear you tell me that you don't want to be with me. To. My. Face." She lifts her head to look at me; her eyes are puffy and bloodshot.

"You and I shouldn't be together. There! Now please leave."

"No, that's not what I asked. I want you to tell me that you don't _want_ me." I move to the bed and sit with my back against the headboard, facing her.

"I do want you but we can't be together." She admits.

"Why not?"

"That's why!" She yells as she rips open my shirt pointing at my chest. "Thanks to me you nearly died." She has tears streaming down her face; I grab her chin between my hands and press my lips roughly into hers.

"What happened isn't your fault Bella…"

"Yes it is, if it weren't for me, Riley would never have been here and you would never have been shot."

"I don't blame you for what happened."

"You should." She mutters.

"Yeah but I don't, and I never will." Again I bring her face closer to mine and kiss her, within a split second she is straddling me, her hands tugging at my hair as her tongue presses into my lips. We continue to make out like 15 year olds for 40 minutes.

"Please don't leave." I whisper against her lips.

"I have never felt this way about anyone before. I am so glad that you came and found me, and that your ego refused to think that I didn't want you." See this is why I feel so strongly about this woman, she sees me for who I am.

"Well I'm right aren't I, you do want me." I reply cockily.

"Apparently not as much as you want me." She teases as she grinds down on my lap.

"Touché, Isabella Marie Swan. Touché." I kiss her again, this time more softly.

"You know we have to get you back to the hospital right?" Bella asks breaking the kiss.

"Yeah, let's just stay here for a while first."

Bella and I remain in that embrace for hours, sometimes kissing, sometimes talking, sometimes in silence but we never let go of each other. As I held Bella in my arms, I knew that I was in love with her, one day I will marry this woman and we will have children but for now things are a little more complicated.

I know that Bella won't want to stay here, I dare say the moment that I recover she will want to leave; I understand that she feels confined here, smothered. The truth is she never belonged here; she was always too good for this tiny small minded town. This is where the problems begin, my career, my friends, my home are all in this town that she hates.

We have so much that needs to be discussed but that is all going to have to wait for another time, right now I just want to lie here with Bella Swan in my arms.

* * *

**AN: I promise, promise, promise, pinky swear that I wont make you wait ages for the epilogue I am hoping to have it done by the end of the week.**

**Thank you very much to all of you for reading my little story / stories.**

**I will be posting another story in the next week days as well.**

**Please review and let me know what you think, even if you are unhappy about something.**

**The song that inspired this chapter is Buttons by Sia, Sia is an Aussie artist and her music is beautiful - do your self a favour and have a listen.**

**Ok enough from me peace out A town!**

**Court  
****xox**


	12. Epilogue  The End

**AN: This is it – the end as the chapter is so aptly named. **

**Firstly I must apologise for taking so long, I had intended to have this done by the end of last week and I did but I hated it so I completely scrapped it and started again.**

**The main person that I want to thank is Jess! She truly is sensational – I know that I say that every chapter and that's because it is true. She always gets back to straight away and I really appreciate that.**

**I will do my other thanks at the bottom AN.**

**Lauren – for being such an awesome reviewer and following me around (that goes for you to Teri) I have put a little lemon in here for you.**

**Anyway I will leave you to read! (FYI - The italiced sections are flashbacks, I know you're all smart enough to pick that up)**

**Disclaimer – Don't own Twilight but Eclipse comes out tomorrow and you can bet your ass I will be owning that shit.****Epilogue – The end**

* * *

_I just wanna hold you  
Take you by your hand  
And tell you that your good enough  
Tell ya that it's gonna be tough  
_

I can't believe this has all happened so quickly, so much has changed in the last nine months. To think that 9 months ago, I was in hospital after being shot and now here we are and I am so happy and so excited. It is all up to Bella now, I know she is scared and worried but she can do this, she was born to do this.

I watch her, god she is beautiful, she has never been so beautiful. There is not much longer left now, everything is going crazy, there are people running around everywhere, I can hear Emmett's voice from outside. I really wish Charlie was here to see how amazing his daughter is. I don't think that I have been more excited in my life, everything is about to change and I can't wait.

_Bella and I have been summoned to Alice and Jaspers place. They got their own place about 3 seconds after Alice realised that I was well enough to look after myself. I have never seen a couple so made for each other, other than Bella and I, of course._

_"What do you think all this is about?" Bella asks as I pull the car to a stop._

_"I bet Alice is up the duff."_

_"Edward!" Bella giggles hitting my arm. "I bet they have gotten a puppy and want to name it after me." She jokes._

_"Bella is a pretty good dog's name." I tease, to which Bella just pokes her tongue out at me. _

_Alice and Jasper both greet us at the door and then take us into the formal dinning room, something weird is going on here, Bella must be thinking the same because she squeezes my hand. Alice gestures for us to take a seat. On the table I notice a folder._

"You nervous?" Alice asks snapping me from reverie.

"Surprisingly not, you?"

"Not nervous just excited. How's Bella?"

"Nervous." We both laugh and I go back to the memory of the day this all started.

_"Ok you guys are starting to freak me out." I say breaking the silence. Jasper and Alice shoot each other an uneasy look, which suddenly makes me feel nervous._

_"I'll start." Alice begins, "So you know how I took Jasper to see my father on the weekend. Well I played some of Jasper's music to him and he loved it."_

_"I got signed Bella!" Jasper interrupts, the excitement exploding from his pores, Bella obviously just as excited leaps across the table and throws herself at him, knocking Alice's table centrepiece flying. _

_"Oh! My! God! Jasper, this is awesome! It's fucking amazing, who would have thought that you spent all those years in LA trying to get signed and you could have just stayed here. Alice what exactly does your father do?" Alice doesn't like telling people who her father is, especially people that may want something from her father so when Bella and Jasper first arrived she made us swear that we wouldn't tell him._

_"My father is Aro Volturi." She admits_

_"As in owner and founder of Volturi Records." Jasper clarifies, letting go of Bella so that she can sit back in her seat. Bella looks at me and I nod in confirmation._

_"But your surname isn't Volturi," Bella points out confused._

_"I took my mothers maiden name."_

_"Well there you go ay! Jazzy I can't fucking believe this! I'm so effing excited, you better let me come on tour with you and be your roadie." _

_"That's actually what we wanted to talk to you both about." Jasper says seriously._

_"Dude, you don't even have to ask, you know I will carry you famous ass bags around and shit." Bella jokes, I however can see where this is going._

_"The demo that Alice played him was one of the songs that you and I made together, back in LA." I turn to look at Bella, her eyes widen as she finally clicks. "They want to sign us!" Jasper clarified pointing between the two of them._

_"You didn't tell them about me being…"_

_"No, no, no, we never said anything about it." Bella sits back in her chair and looks down at her fidgeting hands. _

_"Will they sign you without me?" Oh no, she isn't going to do it. She seriously has problems, she infuriates me sometimes! She has this incredible talent and wants to keep it a secret._

_"Yes, they said that I could have a solo career, but my heart is with a band Bells and with you. If I got my choice I would want to do this with you, but I don't want to pressure you and I won't be angry or upset if you say no." Jasper's voice and words might be convincing but his eyes are pleading with her._

_Alice and I look at each other, both knowing that this conversation doesn't involve us._

_"I am just going to go grab some drinks". Alice says standing abruptly. _

_"I'll give you a hand." I follow Alice into the kitchen to let Bella and Jasper discuss this._

_"So what do you think?" Alice asks as she hands me a beer and sits on one of the bar stools._

_"I think it's awesome but I don't think she will do it. She is so terrified of the spotlight. Al, you have no idea." Alice nods and we both remain silent to try and listen to the other two._

_3 nights later Bella wakes me at 2:30am._

_"Edward, I need to go see Jasper."_

_"Now?"_

_"Yep, right now!" She jumps up out of bed and grabs one of my hoodies and her Ugg boots. _

_"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" I ask as I pull out of the driveway._

_"Nope!" She says more animated than I have seen her for weeks._

_"Jesus Bella, if you are going to wake me at 3 in the morning you could at least put pants on." Jasper grumbles opening the door still rubbing his eyes._

_"No time for pants my fine friend."_

_"There is always time for pants." Alice says joining the three of us in the lounge._

_"I want to do it!" Bella announces._

_"Do what exactly?" Jasper asks as confused as the rest of us._

_"I want to be in a band with you Jasper. I don't know what I have been so afraid of; you will be there with me. We can take over the world Jazz, your songs have always been incredible and now the world will get to hear them." Jasper launched at Bella, pushing her back into the couch, laying a million kisses on her face._

_"Thank you, thank you, thank you, I love you, I love you!" He repeats over and over. Alice squeals and then hugs me, while I am still trying to process what has happened._

_"What brought on this change?" Jasper asks as he gets up off Bella._

_"I had a dream that Charlie was at our concert, front row and he loved it. When I really think about Charlie introduced me to the music that created the soundtrack of my childhood, so I don't know what I have been so terrified of."_

_"You have no idea how happy this makes me!" Jasper beams. _

_"I have one condition though Jazz; I want you to be the front man of the band. They are your songs you should get all the credit for it. I don't want to use any of my songs."_

_"You can have as many conditions as you want."_

_"Good because I want us to stay here." Three of us looked at each other and then look at Bella in disbelief. "What? The man that I love is here."_

_"You've changed Bella Swan." I joke as I stalk towards her, grab her and dip her in a big Hollywood style kiss._

"5 minutes guys!" The stage manager yells, bringing me back to the present. Bella walks over to me; she is completely changed and ready to perform. Her hair is a wild mess, a small head band strapped across her forehead. She has skin tight black leather pants on with a very old, tatty ACDC t-shirt that has been turned into a skimpy singlet showing off all her tats.

"You look fucking hot!" I whisper into her ear.

"So you want me to keep this outfit then." She teases, checking herself out.

"Fuckin oath! Good luck babe, you will be brilliant."

"You're going to stay right here the whole time right?" She asks desperately.

"Sure am, it's the best seat in the house. I love you!" I tell her as I push her out on stage.

"I love you too!" She yells back at me as she picks up a guitar. Jasper walks past me and we bump fists as he and the other band members take the stage. The record company agreed to let Jasper use all the guys he used to play with, all of them dropping their jobs the second Jasper asked.

"Edward you are never going to believe who is here?" Alice yells into my ear. I shrug, even though I know who she is going to say.

"The Rolling Fucking Stone! They want to put them on the cover." She yells.

"Who's going to be on the Rolling Stone?" Rose asks as her and Emmett join us.

"The Rolling Stone, wanna see my picture on the cover, wanna buy five copies for mother, wanna see my smilin' face on the cover of the Rolling Stone," Emmett and I sing together, the girls laughing.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome BITTER HOLLOW!" The announcer yells, the crowd is deafening. Bella looks over to me and I give her a big smile.

I can't even explain how incredible they are, particularly Bella. She comes alive with the guitar in her hand. She is so confident on stage that I don't know why she didn't do this years ago. Jasper and Bella's chemistry on stage is electric, you would swear they are fucking, the way Jasper grinds up and down Bella as he sings into her ear, the way she arches her back into him. If there is one thing I know for certain, these two are going to sell millions and millions of records. Sex sells.

Midway through the set I walk around the side of the stage and stand in the void between the crowd and the stage. I get a tap on my shoulder and turn to see Dave Grohl. I have met Dave a few times over the past few months; he is playing on one of their tracks. We exchange pleasantries and then I see who Dave is standing with, all the boys from KOL, Luke Pritchard, Eddie Vedder, the boys from Kasabian, Sean Penn, Kelly Slater and a whole host of other people that I know are famous but can't figure out where from. All these people, these super stars are here watching Bella and Jasper; this is in-fucking-sane! There is going to be one hell of an after party.

I say goodbye to everyone and then go back to the side of the stage, I wonder if Bella knows who has come to see her? The crowd demanded two encores and they gave it to them, in the second encore they got Dave up on stage and did No one knows. As I stand waiting at the side of the stage for Bella a woman stands beside me with a VIP pass that says Rolling Stone, evidently the rumours are true. Bella flies off the stage into my arms; I pick her up by the bum and press her back against one of the big amps, attacking her lips.

"That was fucking awesome!" I say breaking the kiss, I place her feet back on the ground and wipe the hair that is stuck on her forehead.

"Excuse me, Miss Swan, I am sorry to interrupt but I was hoping maybe I could get a quick interview with you and Mr. Hale." Bella eyed the woman and then her name badge before grabbing Jasper and pulling him over to meet the reporter.

"Sure thing. Should we go to one of the dressing rooms?" Bella suggests.

"We will wait for you here." I say putting my arm around Alice.

"No way, you guys are coming too!" Jasper insists.

We entered the spare dressing room and Bella sits down on my lap leaning back into my chest.

"So, I'll guess I'll start by introducing myself. My name is Heidi and I am from Rolling Stone magazine." Heidi handed out business cards to all four of us.

"This is my boyfriend Edward and Jaspers girlfriend Alice." Bella says introducing us.

"Well I guess that answers my first question. You and Jasper have such great chemistry on stage; I guess I just assumed that you were together."

"No, Bella and I have been best friends since high school; I love her but not like that."

"But it if will help you sell magazines you don't have to say that Alice and I were here." I add, Bella and Jasper both shot me a look but Alice and I had already discussed this.

"You mean if it will help sell albums." Heidi corrected. "I know that you see me as the enemy but I really love this band and I want you to be huge, because lets face if you guys are going to be as big as they are predicting then I want to be able to say that I helped start it." I like this chick she seems honest but it kinda reeks of William Miller to me.

"Jasper, I understand that you are the genius behind this band." She continues.

"No I'm not the genius…"

"Yes he is, he writes all the songs, the rest of us are just lucky enough that he allows us to play them." Bella interrupts.

"I'm not so sure about that Bella; you had some music heavyweights in the audience tonight and from what I hear that it because of you. Is there any truth to the rumour that you are The Black Swan?"

"I wish! Sadly I am not The Black Swan, Dave and I have been great friends for many years now, I guess that's how I got to know all those people. " Bella's answer sounds so genuine that even I believe it.

"Jasper, are you aware that hype, pre album release, hasn't been generated like this since Lily Allen and The Arctic Monkeys, how is that you have generated so much notoriety for a band that hasn't released any songs?"

"Bella and I both love The Arctic Monkeys, although don't tell The Kooks boys that or they might start a riot. " Jasper, Bella and Heidi all laugh, it must be an industry joke. "Even though technically we haven't release an album our songs are definitely out there, we have appeared on many other bands websites and of course YouTube and MySpace, yet we don't actually have our own band page on either. I guess for us it is all about being everywhere and nowhere at the same time."

'It creates more hype and excitement, if you tell people they can't have something then they are going to want it. " Bella adds.

"So you're musical and marketing geniuses. Bella you got accepted to Yale and then didn't enrol, why not?"

"Music is my life, not law. I followed Jasper and my heart to LA. I don't regret 90% of the choices I made, however I fucked up big time in the other 10%." I lean forward and kiss Bella on the neck.

"Judging by Edward's reaction I am guessing that he has something to do with that 10%?" Heidi not missing a beat, I guess that's how you get to work for Rolling Stone at such a young age.

"Yes, he does. Let's just say that we are 10+ years in the making." She laughs.

"Jasper, I understand that Alice's dad is the founder of Volturi Records, whom you have just signed with." Ouch!

"Yes, that is correct. But this is the way I see it, I have been working my ass off for 15 years, I have been writing songs, playing in shit gigs, busting my balls to be here now. I mean we sold out 5 shows before even releasing an album, it's not as if we are some fucking bull shit Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan spoilt brat 'my dad gets me an album' crap. We fucking worked hard to get here and as far as I am concerned we earned this." Very rarely have I seen Jasper fire up like this.

"You're right the response to you speaks for itself."

The rest of the interview was all about who inspires them and all that boring crap. Heidi scheduled a photo shoot with them for next week; she wants to get some staged photos as well as getting some at the show tomorrow night. Em sent me a text saying that everyone was down the street at a pub so after we finished with Heidi we all went to going them.

"The Rolling Stone, wanna see my picture on the cover,

Wanna buy five copies for mother,

Wanna see my smilin face

On the cover of the Rolling Stone!"

The entire room sung as we entered, Dave and Luke, the KOL boys, Kelly, Sean, everyone is here, it is a true VIP party and this time it is for Bella.

"Everyone, ssshhh, shut! The! Fuck! Up!" Emmett screams from where he is standing on the top of a table. The crowd hush and turn to him. "I have an announcement to make. For those that know Rosie and I, you would be aware that the past few years havent been easy for us." Emmett pauses as his voice starts to choke up. "It has meant the world to both of us that people like you guys have not only supported us but have helped us out any way you can…"

"Oh for fucks sake Em, I'm pregnant!" Rose yells from below him on the floor. The room, most of them strangers, erupt. I fight my way through the throngs of congratulators to throw my arms around Rose. I pick her up and kiss her stomach.

"I am so happy for you." I give Rose a big kiss on the mouth, I then grab Emmett and do the same.

"Dude, I said I was pregnant, not gay!"

"Drinks on me!" Dave screams from where he standing behind the bar. I scan the room and see Bella talking to Caleb, the Kings of Leon douche. The protective jealous side of me gets my legs pumping and before I know it I have my hand draped across Bella's shoulders.

"Edward, this is Caleb, Caleb this is Edward." Bella says introducing us.

"So you're the infamous Edward Cullen I presume?" Caleb says eyeing me up and down.

"How do you know my last name?"

"Dude, the songs!" He says obviously.

"Songs?" I feel Bella shift nervously beneath me.

"You haven't shown him?' Caleb asks Bella.

"Of course not and now thanks to you I am going to have to." Bella spits back visibly irritated.

"Man, she has written some fucking epic songs about you. I begged and begged her to let me buy them but she kept refusing until finally she let me have one, it's on our latest album actually. The world needs to hear all those songs they are fucking mint." Caleb's attention is captured by a blonde walking past leaving Bella and I alone.

"You write songs about…"

"Give it a rest!" She is bright red and refusing to look at me.

"Let me see them."

"No!" I grab Bella by the ass and lift her wrapping her legs around my waist, I start manoeuvring through the crowd to the back of the bar.

"Where are we going?" She giggles as we enter the quieter hallway.

"To finish something that we started a long time ago!" I open the first door and find the broom cupboard; the second door however is what I am looking for.

"A storage room?" Bella asks eying the room. I perch her on one of the kegs and then grab her singlet lifting it over her head. She quickly catches where I am heading with this and undoes my fly pushing my jeans to the floor. I kiss her violently, our teeth clashing as we fight against each other.

I struggle trying to get her leather pants off, they are just too fucking tight, and I quickly look around the room for a knife or scissors but can't find anything. Bella jumps off the keg, rips her pants and jocks to the ground and the jumps back up on the keg. While I am still staring at her newly naked body she whips down my briefs and grabs my throbbing length in her fist. No so gently she pulls me, dick first towards her entrance. I pause, kissing her again this time a little more softly. She wraps her legs around my waist as I push deeply into her, throwing her head back she lets out a scream as I fill her fully.

As I move in and out of her, I lean forward and drag my teeth across her neck, which creates a groan from within her chest.

Unsatisfied with the current position, I lift her walk to the wall pressing her back against the wall. Bella grabs the shelf beside her to brace herself. Using the shelf Bella slides up and down my cock, I grunt at the sensation. I bend and trust into Bella's rhythm, we both close and I fucking pray to god that the shelving is bolted to the ground.

Bella's body clutches around mine as she controls her climax, a few pumps later and I join her. Bella's head collapses into my shoulder; we remain holding each other as our breathing calms.

"I love you." I whisper into her ear. "So which song is about me?" She giggles into my shoulder.

"If I tell you, you can't mention it ever again."

"Deal"

"The End." I wouldn't admit this to Bella and most certainly not Caleb but I have deep man love for their music so I know the song she is talking about quiet well. I don't say anything; instead I kiss her neck and put her back down on the ground.

"I am so happy for Rose and Em." Bella says as she puts her pants back on.

"I know, if this acupuncture didn't work they were going to stop. All the other treatments and the IVF were killing her spirit with every failure." Once we are dressed we exit the storage room, the place is pumping, Dave and Em are behind the bar pouring beers.

"Are you aware that this isn't your pub Em? You don't have to work." I say as I approach the bar.

"It's way more fun on this side of the bar, right apprentice?" Em says to Dave.

"Right you are boss man." Dave replies while handing me a terribly poured jug.

The night was epic; it ended at about 6am only due to the fact that Jasper and Bella have a gig again that night and needed sleep. Dave and Eddie tried to convince them that it is way more rock and roll to keep partying and then show up at the gig blind but in the end sleep won.

The rest of the gigs were just as successful as the first, someone (Alice) had recorded the last show and put up songs on YouTube, Bitter Hollow quickly became one of the most watched clips that week with millions of hits. Shit is getting crazy.

* * *

1 year later

"Stop fidgeting, you look beautiful!" I say to her in the back of the limo.

"I still can't believe that we are going to the Grammy's." Alice gushes.

This last year has been gargantuan for Bitter Hollow, they have been on the cover of Rolling Stone twice, their debut album went to number one is the U.S, the U.K, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, France, Mexico, Holland, the Ukraine and about 36 other counties. They have announced a world tour which has completely sold out. They have been on every TV show from, SNL to The Today show to Ellen to Letterman and now they are nominated for 6 awards.

"There is no way we are going to win." Bella says trying to calm her nerves.

"Are you kidding? I'm not sure if you're aware but you have kinda taken over the world." Alice responded. We pulled up to the red carpet, as soon as the door opened the screaming and flashes begun. We had become used to this after the past few months; the world had developed a fascination with Bella and Jasper. We no longer have to pretend that we're going out; turns out people are actually more excited about the thought that Bella and Jasper are having a sordid affair. It's actually highly amusing.

Alice and I go ahead and leave Jasper and Bella and the rest of the band to take the photos. Alice and I spend hours upon hours laughing and being mildly offended at some of the trash written about us. One website tried to suggest that Alice and I were having an affair because there were photos of us standing at the side of the stage with Alice leaning with her back against my chest; the funniest part is that they knew we are cousins.

We make our way into the amphitheatre, Bitter Hollow are opening the show so we will have to sit on our own for a while, not that it really matters we have been to so many "industry" events lately that we know so many people now. Their performance was immaculate and everyone in the audience went off, one of things that both Jasper and Bella are proud of is that they are band that other musicians love and respect, I think that means more to them than selling 20 million albums.

To say that Bitter Hollow cleaned up would be an understatement, so far they have won, best performance by a duo or group, best rock song, best rock album, best new artist and song of the year, that's 5 out of 6 so far and they are about to announce Album of the Year, the one award that really matters.

"And the winner is…Bitter Hollow!" Kanye announces. We all stand and scream and kiss and hug each other before the band head up on stage. Jasper had done all the previous speeches so when Bella steps to the mic the whole crowd is hushed.

"Firstly I would just like to say what an honour it is being nominated for this award, I mean we grew up on U2, Beyonce is the queen of the entire music industry, Lady Gaga is an incredible genius and Eminem, is well freaking Eminem! To have our names even associated with them is an incredible honour. This album has been 15 years in the making; it is our blood, sweat, tears and soul. Jasper, thank you for sharing your beautiful songs with the world. To the rest of the guys, I love you, you are my family."

"To everyone who had anything even remotely to with this album, even the people who gave me sandwiches at the cover shoot, thank you, we honestly couldn't do any of this without you. Ok be quick! To Alice, Rose and Em, you are everything to me. To my mother and father who couldn't be here, I love you. Dave you had faith in us when no one else did, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Lastly I would like to dedicate this award to Edward, the most incredible, stubborn, stunningly beautiful, arrogant man I have even known, and I love you with my whole heart. Will you marry me?"

I can feel the eyes of thousands of people looking at before I actually register what has happened. Bella Swan has just proposed to me. The room is silent, everyone awaiting my response, I can hear Alice crying beside me but all I can see is Bella, standing on the stage with a big goofy grin on her face. Slowly I stand from my seat and begin moving to the stage; luckily we are only in the second row so I reach the foot of the stage quickly. Bella walks forward and we meet, Bella standing on the stage above me.

With my finger I beckon for her to bend down to me, when her ear is beside my lips I whisper.

"Yes!" Bella launches herself at me grabbing me around the neck. I swing her round as we both laugh, the entire room erupting in applause. "I love you," I whisper again.

I stop swinging her around and place her feet back on the ground. I take her face between my hands and press my lips to hers. I am never going to get tired of kissing this woman. My Bella. My Fiancé.

* * *

**AN: A big heartfelt thank you to everyone that has added and read this story – It is so so so so greatly appreciated.**

**A billion Edward style kisses to babybear08, gothicangel082, familiar stranger, Jordan, tazzded, rocklesson86, brandie722, twilightfan1969, jesigrl007, bearygirl, berdb and ju007. **

**The following ladies rock my socks because the review every chapter without fail! I seriously heart you something hard – similar to the love that I have for the Cullen/Black boys! Teri and Lauren – Love you long long long time.**

**I am really sad that this story has come to an end, I quite enjoyed this little rock and roll world that I created and I also enjoyed trying my hand at a little bit of One Tree Hill style drama. **

**As previously mentioned I have started another story and am contemplating a little Bella/Jasper one shot just coz I heart me some Jasper loving and Alice annoys me even more than Bella so Bella and Jasper it will be.**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times to all of you.**

**Over and out  
Court  
xox**


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